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Nikholas "elf" F. Toledo proj25@yahoo.com
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Disclaimer: Rayearth is the property of Clamp. BTW, they also happen to
own X1999 and Tokyo Babylon, whose characters played cameo
roles in this fic.
This is all Mokona's doing. (Pupuupuupupu!)
It made a wish and this is what happened...
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Through The Looking Glass
Chapter 1
A Life Less Ordinary
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The bacon strips spit and sizzled in the hot skillet as their
mouth-watering aroma permeated the small kitchen. The cook pushed them to
the side to let the oil drip. He then reached for an egg from the carton
and expertly cracked it over the skillet using one hand.
"Do you really have to wear that?" the man sitting at the dining
table asked. He pushed his rectangular glasses up his nose and glared
reprovingly at his brother's apron. It was a frilly peach number with the
words 'KISS THE COOK' emblazoned in bold red letters across it.
"But of course. I don't want oil spattering all over my uniform,"
the younger man replied with a snort.
The man shook his head dejectedly before turning his attention back
to the business section of his morning paper.
He was handsome in an austere way. His fall of straight black hair
reached almost to his waist. It framed a face that was quite arresting
with its sharp angles and smooth planes. His lean form was garbed in a
white uwagi and black hakama.
The clock chimed - one, two, three... seven times.
The man sipped his coffee before lifting his blue-violet gaze from
the newsprint. Leaning sideways on his chair, he scanned the staircase
that led to the upstairs bedrooms.
"Eagle, what's keeping your sister?" His voice held no trace of
annoyance, just pure curiosity.
"I dunno. Wish she'd hurry up, though. I don't intend to spend the
first period balancing water buckets in the hallway," Eagle replied,
placing a steaming plate heaped with bacon and eggs on the table.
Eagle Shido was known to be a regular 'water boy' back in junior
high. Monday mornings, more often than not, found him balancing water
buckets in the hallways instead attending his first period class. But the
Fates had finally smiled down on him, and for that he was glad. He hadn't
done the bucket routine since he started high school two years ago.
_And there's NO way I'm doing the bucket routine ever again._ Eagle
smirked to himself.
Looking at the two men, one could hardly guess that they were
actually siblings. Eagle was almost the complete opposite of his brother,
in personality as well as in appearance. The older man exuded a
commanding aura of quiet reserve, while Eagle was more approachable with
his easy smile and quick humor. His fair hair was cut short and his eyes
were hazel; people often said that he inherited their mother's fair
coloring.
Eagle placed his sister's packed lunch on the table and tucked his
lunch inside his knapsack.
Just then, a fifteen-year-old redhead blustered into the kitchen,
her long plait bouncing against her back. She was wearing a dark blue
blouse with long sleeves, its white sailor collar accented with red
piping. The matching white pleated skirt ended just a tad shy above her
knees.
"Good morning, Zagato-niisama." She greeted the man at the table
with a quick kiss on the cheek.
Zagato's stoic features instantly melted into an indulgent smile.
He brushed a kiss on his sister's head while she was busy buttering a
piece of toast. She was already halfway through it when she reached for
the pitcher and poured herself a tall glass of orange juice.
"It's 'bout time you got here, Hikaru."
The girl turned to watch her fair-haired brother pull off his
favorite apron with an impatient tug. She washed down the rest of her
toast with a huge gulp of juice and ran up to him with a hug.
"And good morning to you, too," she said, giving him an orange-
flavored smack on the lips.
Eagle stared down at his kid sister's 500-watt smile and knew that
he was a goner. There was no way he could possibly stay angry with her
when she pulled out the heavy 'kawaii' artillery. Fact was, the brothers
adored their sister to distraction. What drove him crazy was that she had
them wrapped around her little finger without her knowing it!
He walked toward the small cabinet beside the staircase and
retrieved two pairs of rollerblades.
"Sit down," indicating the chair beside her.
He immediately went to work, strapping her feet into the skates
while she was busy finishing her breakfast.
"There you go," he said, after plunking the helmet over her head.
"Ouch! Hey, take it easy - that hurts!"
Eagle kissed the top of her helmet then grinned, "Sorry," looking
not the least bit repentant. His sister glowered back. He was already
strapping on his elbow pads when Hikaru threw him his knapsack.
"C'mon, slowpoke. We're gonna be late!" she teased, filching
another piece of toast from the platter. She was already following Eagle
out the door when someone jerked her back.
"What...?" She frowned back at Zagato's smug expression. He was
holding a brown paper bag in one hand and the strap of her knapsack in
the other.
"Here," he opened her knapsack and placed the paper bag inside,
"you almost forgot your lunch again," and zipped her bag closed.
"That wasn't the only thing I forgot," she said sheepishly and
beckoned him to lean closer to give him a hug. "Bye, Niisama - and
thanks."
* * *
"Hey, wait up!" Hikaru cried when she finally caught up with her
brother. "I'm sorry I missed breakfast again," she apologized, gliding
beside him as she munched on the piece of toast.
"Heck, it's your loss." Eagle watched his sister wolf down the rest
of the toast. "Heaven forbid that our favorite sister goes hungry."
"Hah, I'm your ONLY sister, dummy." She held on to him, making him
support her entire weight...
"Oh, no, you don't!" Eagle knew exactly what she meant to do next.
Hikaru crouched low - the moment they rounded the curve, she pulled
herself forward using Eagle's momentum to boost her speed. Eagle made a
grab for her arm, but she was too fast for him.
"Whooaaa!" He ended up groping air instead. "Oooh, shit!" Eagle
flapped his arms, bending forward then backward, trying to regain his
balance. He teetered dangerously, turning his legs this way and that as
he desperately tried to keep himself from falling flat on his face.
"What's that, your rollerblade version of the Funky Chicken!?"
Hikaru clutched her middle and almost doubled over, laughing. "Better
switch back to pedaling, Eagle," she taunted, making zigzag patterns on
the road while skating backwards. "You're no match against me on blades!"
She turned around and picked up more speed, loving the early
morning wind blowing against her face. After making sure that she had put
a considerable distance between them, Hikaru finally decided to relax and
enjoy the scenery. She straightened up and started skating in wide
circles with her arms spread outward.
The sakura trees were in full bloom, their pink blossoms drifted
around her, locked in an endless waltz.
"So, beautiful- huh?" She felt someone tugging at her pigtail.
"Sightseeing?" Eagle playfully chucked her under the chin before
leaving her to eat his dust. "Last one to reach the school gate is a
rotten egg!"
"Hey!" Hikaru shouted and tried to put on some more speed. If she
could get even with him before they go downhill, she was sure to beat him
to the finish line.
Eagle turned to see her pulling abreast with him. The crest of the
hill came into view as they rounded the curve. She turned to flash him a
grin, then crouched low as they sped downhill...
* * *
A metallic-green Nissan Cefiro screeched to a halt in front of the
school gate. Two girls stepped out of the car. The older of the two
looked quite shaken and had to lean on her companion for support.
"Are you sure you're all right, Kuu?" The younger of the two peered
at her sister from behind her wire-rimmed glasses with concern.
"I'm fine, really," she stressed, looking straight at a pair of
intelligent leaf-green eyes, whose color was similar to her own.
They both turned to check the school's clock tower: seven-fifty.
The girls sighed, their green eyes mirroring identical expressions of
relief.
The car's driver window rolled down. A beautiful golden-haired
woman poked her head out. She, too, noted the time and smiled.
"My, it seems we made it with ten minutes to spare," the woman
replied with quiet pride.
"Thank you for driving us to school today, Emi. We would've been
late if it weren't for your suici- ah, strategic driving," Kuu replied,
ignoring the reproving look her younger sister sent her way.
"Anything for my sisters," she said, checking the slim gold watch
strapped on her delicate wrist. "Well, I'd better get going. I don't want
to be late, myself, you know."
"I seriously doubt that," Kuu said, thinking of their eldest
sister's flagrant disregard for speed limits and her attempt to break the
sound barrier that morning.
"Bye, Oneechan," the youngest replied, hugging Emi through the car
window. "And, please, drive carefully," she added, her green eyes clouded
with concern.
"Oh, Fuu, you always did worry too much," Emi chided, her clear
blue eyes, unlike those of her sister's, were sparkling with delight.
She waved goodbye and pulled the car into a screeching reverse. She
sped off down the road, leaving black skid marks on the asphalt and
scattering terrorized pedestrians in her wake.
Fuu and Kuu simply stood there with big sweatdrops beside their
heads.
"Fuu, remind me never to get into a car with Emi behind the wheel,"
Kuu berated herself as they walked toward the quadrangle for the
morning's ceremonies. "What was I thinking when I asked her to drive us
to school?"
"That you cannot be late for your first day here in Ryudo," Fuu
reasoned, "considering that the term started almost a month ago."
"It wasn't my fault, I got hospitalized," Kuu protested.
"Well, don't worry, you'll be able to catch up. I asked Hikaru for
a favor, and she was more than willing to help."
"Hikaru? What's she got to do with me catching up on my lessons?"
Just then, they heard someone calling out their names. The two
sisters stopped and turned around to see a blue-haired girl walking up to
them. She carried herself with the confidence and elegant grace of a
model.
"Hey, you two. Wait up!"
"Hello, Umi. Nice to see you again," Kuu greeted her with a hug.
She was ever thankful to Fuu for bringing Umi along during her
hospital visits. Umi pulled her out of her self-induced depression in no
time flat. She cajoled, bribed and even bullied her to get well.
"Well, I, for one, am glad to see you out of that hospital bed."
"Same here."
"You aren't pining away for that guy, are you?" Umi gave her a
calculating look.
"No. Not any more, thanks to your pep talks," Kuu replied.
"Trust me, a jerk like that isn't worth having an ulcer over."
"I couldn't agree more," Fuu seconded with a decisive nod of her
head.
"By the way, was that Emi I saw driving the green Cefiro?"
"Yes, that was her," Fuu smilingly confirmed.
"I knew that car looked familiar. My dad almost had a heart attack
when he saw that trick Emi pulled back at the railroad crossing." Umi
smiled slyly, "Jeez, where'd she learn to drive like that?"
"It's a talent. Believe me, not everyone have what it takes to
overtake a train and beat it at the crossing without even batting a
eyelash," Kuu answered.
"Hey, there's Hikaru." Fuu waved at the small redhead with a tall
fair-haired guy in tow.
"Who's that with her? Her boyfriend?" Kuu asked, giving the guy a
thorough appraisal. "Hmmm... not bad, he's cute." Her eyes widened when
the guy turned to face them. "I mean reeeally cute."
Umi burst out giggling while Fuu beamed.
"Wha... what? What'd I say wrong?"
"Kuu-chan, that's Hikaru's brother, Eagle."
Kuu blushed. "But I thought she only had one."
"Actually, she has three. Eagle-sempai's the third."
"Oh." It was all Kuu could say before Hikaru and her brother joined
their little group. Eagle had one arm draped across Hikaru's shoulders
and was smiling down fondly at her while they argued.
"I would've won if that car hadn't been-"
"Oh, Eagle, just admit it," she said, playfully elbowing him in the
ribs, "You couldn't beat me even if you decided to skate on all fours!"
"Ohayo, Eagle-sempai," Umi and Fuu greeted in unison.
"Ohayo," he returned.
"Ahrmm..." Hikaru noisily cleared her throat.
"Oh, yeah. Morning to you, too, Hikaru," Umi greeted her absently
before turning her attention back to Eagle. "So, how's your morning?" Umi
continued.
"Okay, I guess. The high point so far was when we were almost run
down by a manic driver in a green car."
The two sisters gulped convulsively and turned a becoming shade of
red in embarrassment.
"Really?"
"Uhh-huh. With the way that person was driving, it'll be safer to
be IN the car than to be a high-risk potential victim ON the sidewalk."
"Aren't you exaggerating a bit, Eagle-sempai? Surely Emi doesn't
drive that bad."
"Yeah, right. You should've seen..." Eagle suddenly did a double
take at Umi. "WHAT! You mean that was EMI!!!" Then he turned to look at
Fuu. "Emi... as in blond, beautiful Emi, your sister!?"
"Hai," Fuu and Kuu timidly answered.
<Gulp.> "Eh... he... heh. I... ah..." Eagle was starting to find
that his necktie also doubled as a hangman's noose at the moment. "Sorry
'bout that. I mean, maybe she was just... you know, in a great hurry
to..."
"Look, you really don't have to apologize. We all know how my
sister drives," Kuu interrupted, effectively letting Eagle off the hook.
"Huh?" Eagle was dumbfounded for a moment. His gaze fastened on the
tall girl with long light brown hair, then switched to Fuu. Both had the
same startling green eyes. "You're sisters? I thought you only had one,
Fuu."
"Where have I heard that question before... Well, surprise,
surprise! Apparently, she has two," Umi said.
Hikaru, on the other hand, hastily began with the introductions,
"Kuu, I'd like you to meet my brother, Eagle. He's a high school junior
and, according to Fuu, he also happens to be a classmate of yours."
"Oh, how... nice," Kuu replied.
"Hey, you're new here, aren't you?" Eagle asked.
"Yes, I just transferred this term. I used to go to an all-girls
private school."
"Hmm... you'd better behave yourself around her, Eagle-sempai," Umi
added with a sly wink.
Fuu and Hikaru glared at Umi. Eagle and Kuu simply chose to ignore
the comment.
"This is your first day in school, right?"
Kuu nodded sheepishly, fearing his next question.
"Almost a month's worth of lectures..." Eagle said almost to
himself. Then his face brightened up with good humor and determination,
"don't worry, I'll help you catch up with the lessons. By the way,
welcome to Ryudo."
"Thank you, Eagle. I really appreciate your help." Kuu bowed.
"Heck, it's nothing," Eagle blushed in embarrassment as he brushed
her formality aside. "I would suggest we talk about setting up a schedule
for tutori-"
"Uh, sorry to interrupt. I think this morning's ceremony is about
to start. You two better head to your side of the quadrangle." Umi
pointed out, "This area happens to belong to us junior high."
"Right. See ya later, sis," Eagle said, ruffling Hikaru's hair
before grasping Kuu's elbow. "C'mon, Kuu, time to leave the kiddies
behind."
"KIDDIES!!!" the three girls cried in irritation. Eagle obviously
had the last word. He was already winding his way, with Kuu in tow,
toward the east end of the quad, where his classmates were lined up.
* * *
The flag ceremony went on as usual, nothing spectacular about that.
Then came the point when the emcee told everyone to stay in line for the
principal's announcement - and that was when all hell broke loose.
Almost half of the entire high school female population rushed
toward the front of the stage and started cheering. Purple ribbons and
confetti were being waved and thrown around. Suddenly, three heavily
built men in yellow T-shirts took their posts at the front edge of the
crowd to keep the female horde from scrambling up the stage.
"Don't you just hate Monday mornings?" a black-haired guy with
serious gold-flecked eyes asked to no one in particular as he was
violently jostled out of the way by the mob.
"Yeah, my girlfriend gets to dump me every Monday for HIM. Good
thing it only happens once a week." This coming from a senior who had a
pair of red shades resting on his unruly shock of dark brown hair. He
looked at the usually quiet young man beside him, "Consider yourself
lucky, Kamui. Kotori's very faithful to you."
"Man, that trick never fails to amaze me...," another guy said,
looking completely awed as two girls simultaneously pulled out a banner
from nothing more than thin air. "How'd the hell do they do it?!"
"Trust me, we are eternally doomed to wonder about it," a young man
with impossibly emerald green eyes, replied with a sigh.
"Right you are, dear brother," his identical twin sister pitched in
with a grin, "It's way beyond your feeble male comprehension, simply
because it's a GIRL thing." This, of course, earned her a grim look, not
only from her twin, but from her male classmates as well.
"It's just not fair!" a male voice wailed.
"Who the hell ever said it was?!" came his companion's irate reply.
A tall lavender-haired man stepped onto the stage and walked up to
the podium.
The crowd went berserk; girls went screaming mad, waving their
ribbons and their banners frantically. They were shouting his name at the
top of their lungs with a rhythmic beat that was laden with hero worship.
"Clef! Clef! Clef! Cleeeef!"
He was no more than eighteen years of age, but his serious blue
eyes spoke of a wisdom far beyond his years.
The man tapped the mike to check the sound then loudly cleared his
throat.
The entire mob went miraculously silent, waiting for him to speak.
"Good morning, everyone. As we all know, it's already been a year
since I took over the position as principal of Ryudo High School. First
of all, I would like to thank the faculty and especially the student body
for their support..."
Everyone started cheering at this point, and even the guys started
clapping as well. There was no doubt that Principal Clef Doushii was the
best principal Ryudo had ever had. Fondly called Clef by his faculty and
Principal Clef by the students, no one calls him Mr. Doushii - that name
was reserved for Clef's father, who also happened to own Ryudo High
School.
Clef had supported not only the pursuit for academic excellence,
but excellence in sports and the arts as well. In one year, he was able
to bring about major changes and upgrading throughout the entire school.
His hard work paid off when Ryudo was listed as one of the top ten high
schools in the country and also among those to have the most number of
seniors to pass the college entrance exam.
"As we all know, not everyone in the administration was optimistic,
at first. Some had their doubts and some were even violently opposed to
the idea of me handling Ryudo."
The entire high school student body booed. Everyone knew that the
biggest rival that Principal Clef had in the administration was his own
cousin. Both the faculty and the students referred to her as the Black
Witch, but none dared to call her that in her face - except maybe
Principal Clef, of course.
"Down with the Black Bitch!" Umi rallied, waving her fist in the
air, getting a loud cheer from those around her.
"Uh... Umi, wasn't that supposed to be 'Black Witch'? As in
'witch', not 'bitch'?" Hikaru asked.
"Umi, that was a bad word, wasn't it?!" Fuu cried, placing a hand
over her lips. She looked so utterly scandalized and disapproving that
Umi quickly relented.
"Uh... yeah, it was. Look, I'm really sorry, Fuu. Guess I just got
carried away."
"Hey, quiet over there! We can't hear a thing he's saying," a girl
complained from behind them.
"Weelll, excuuuuse me!" Umi turned around, her eyes flashing, ready
to indulge in a little verbal warfare.
Luckily, Fuu was able clap a hand on her mouth while Hikaru wrapped
both arms around her. Umi tried to put up a struggle, but her friends
held fast. A shouting match first thing Monday morning was not exactly
the best way to start the week.
"Sorry," Fuu and Hikaru apologized to the girl. Both sighed in
relief when the girl finally left them alone and went back in line.
"Promise us you won't try to get even, and we'll let you go," Fuu
firmly demanded.
Umi nodded her head.
"... that you won't flay her alive with your tongue-lashing...,"
Hikaru added.
Umi once again nodded.
"... and you will try very hard to control your volatile temper!"
the two said in chorus.
Umi wrestled free from their restraining grasp and straightened her
collar. "Alright, already!" she screamed.
Everyone in line put their forefingers against their lips and
hushed her. Umi whipped around and coolly arched a delicate eyebrow at
them, "Well?" giving them the arctic freeze.
Of course, none of them dared. Everyone was suddenly too busy
avoiding her eyes or gulping down their panic.
After a half-minute of pregnant silence, Umi smiled. "Good, I'm
glad we all understand each other."
Hikaru and Fuu could only shake their heads in dejection. Umi was
nothing short of an expert when it came to intimidation. Her great looks
and high-class breeding alone were enough to make some of their
classmates squirm - what more if she deliberately set out to cut someone
dead in public?
Umi tried to focus her attention back to what their principal was
saying, but found that she had completely lost interest. Her eyes
wandered toward the tall guy standing two lines away from her. He was too
busy fidgeting with his tie to notice her scrutiny.
_There's a good chance the poor guy could actually end up
strangling himself with it,_ Umi thought to herself.
She couldn't see his eyes - his rich fall of brown hair hid it from
view. Then, as though he heard her thoughts, he combed back his hair with
one hand and lifted a pair of dark green eyes in her direction.
Umi quickly looked away - she lifted her chin in spite of the blush
crawling up her neck, turning her cheeks a bright pink.
"You okay, Umi?"
"Huh?" she blinked, "I... ah, I'm perfectly fine."
"You sure?" Hikaru drew her brows together and peered up at her,
"Well, you look a little flushed just a moment ago."
"Must be the heat," Umi quickly lied, fanning herself with her
hand. "Jeez, hope he gets over with his speech soon. I'm starting to melt
under this sun."
* * *
The assembly was finally dispersed and everyone headed for their
first period class. Umi and Fuu were walking side-by-side, with Hikaru
slightly behind them.
Fuu shifted the books she was carrying in her arms and spared her
friend a troubled look.
"What?" Umi asked.
"Do you think that it was a wise move to throw Kuu and Eagle
together? I mean, she just broke up with her boyfriend and-"
"And who also happens to be a big jerk," Umi finished for her,
"Well, good riddance to bad garbage. Kuu is way too good for that creep."
"Yes. But do you honestly think that she's ready for this?"
"What's wrong with having a great guy like Eagle for a friend?"
"I know how these match-making schemes of yours work, Umi. You
wouldn't be content with them just being friends."
"Okay, okay. But I still believe that Eagle-sempai and Kuu were
made for each other." Umi stopped in her tracks and struck a dramatic
pose. "How could I possibly go wrong? He's the most handsome, most
charismatic, most debonair, gentlemanly..."
"Are you sure we're talking about my brother here?" Hikaru cut in.
"Are you sure you don't want to throw yourself at him instead of my
sister?" Fuu asked.
"Nah, I like him, but there's simply no chemistry." Umi sighed.
"Know what I mean?"
"No, I don't." Just then, Fuu noticed they were one girl short in
their group. "Hey, where's Hikaru?"
"Over there." Umi pointed at Hikaru's retreating back. Their
redheaded friend was running down the corridor, dodging students in her
way.
"Hey, Hikaru! Where you going?!" Umi cried.
"Go on without me - I'll just catch up with you guys later."
"What? But we're..." Umi paused when she realized who Hikaru was
running to, "Oh, I see. C'mon, Fuu, let's go."
"Uh, excuse me, coming through..." Hikaru squeezed between two male
seniors, "Oops, sorry 'bout that," and almost stumbled into a girl before
she finally caught up with him. "Hey, Lantis! Wait!"
A tall dark-haired man immediately stopped walking in the middle of
the hallway. He surveyed the mass of humanity streaming past him for a
certain redhead who just called out his name.
"Hikaru." He took hold of her arm and led her to stand beside the
wall.
"Hi! Whew... good thing you tower over almost everyone else." She
gulped in some air. "That made it easier for me to see you," then she
broke into a coughing fit.
"Hey, easy...," the man said, while rubbing her back, "there, you
okay now?"
Hikaru nodded and stared up at her brother Lantis. He and Zagato
had almost the same features. People could easily mistake them for twins,
if it hadn't been for their hair length. Lantis kept his hair short at
the back, but a bit longer up front, where his bangs framed blue-violet
eyes identical to Zagato's.
She was equally close to Eagle and to Lantis. Eagle may be her
confidant, but it was Lantis who she considered her guardian angel. Now,
all she had left was her confidant, since her 'guardian angel' moved out
of the house about a month ago and decided to stay in the school dorm
instead.
"How's everything at home?" he asked.
"Could be better if you were there, too," she said, trying to hide
the resentment in her voice.
_Oh, man. Here we go again...,_ Lantis thought to himself.
"Hikaru," he placed his hand on her shoulder and bent down to bring
her gaze in level with his, "I have to stay here at the dorm because it'd
be easier for me to review for the upcoming college entrance exams."
"I'm also getting ready for my high school entrance exams next
year. How come I get to stay at home and you don't?"
"You don't understand. It's not the same thing." He sighed.
"Yes, it is," she insisted belligerently. "Tell me the truth - did
you and Niisama argue? Is that why you were booted out of the house?"
"What?! Who told you that?!" he asked sharply.
"No one. Well, is it true?"
"No," Lantis stated in a tone that brooked no argument. "Look, it's
better for me to stay here, since we have easy access to the library.
Besides, it's hard enough with Eagle taking care of the house and cooking
for the three of you. I'll just be a burden, since I'm too busy to help
around this time."
Hikaru let out a pent-up sigh. She never did win an argument with
him. She must've been kidding herself when she thought that she could
actually change his mind.
"Okay, you win. I get your point," she mumbled.
Lantis looked at her bowed head and let out a sigh of his own. He
reached out to touch her hair but she abruptly angled her head away from
his outstretched hand. He never knew that such a simple gesture could
hurt so much. His hand fell to his side and clenched into a fist. The
pain in his chest grew with each silent second that ticked by.
"The least you could do was come over for the weekends," she
finally whispered. "I missed you. It's just not the same when one of us
ain't around. I mean, we're family, right?"
The pain lessened somewhat. This time, she didn't move away when he
held out his hand. "I'm sorry. I promise I'll be home this Saturday and
every weekend after that. Okay?"
Hikaru bit her lip then nodded, "Sure."
"Here, give me your bag. I'll walk you to class."
* * *
The little exchange between the two didn't go unnoticed. A young
man wearing a white cap was idly flipping a 50-yen coin. His curious
brown eyes followed the couple's progress down the hallway.
"Pssst. Zazu, are they gone?"
"Yup. The coast is clear, Geo - you can come out now."
A handsome, well-built guy stepped out of the men's room and warily
scanned the nearly deserted hallways. Everyone was now heading for their
respective class.
"Hey, Geo, who's that cute chick Lantis was talking to?" Zazu
nodded towards the redhead. "Ain't she a bit too young for him?"
"That's his sister, you dork!" Geo replied, tipping the younger
man's cap off his head and slapping it against his chest. "A word of
caution, Zazu - don't let Lantis hear you calling his little sister a
'chick', unless you plan to graduate high school in a casket."
They were an odd pair, these two. Zazu was a seventeen-year-old
senior student who was rather short for his age. He had already been
accelerated twice and was likely to graduate with honors by the end of
the year. The tall, handsome man walking next to him was the school's
basketball star. Geo, also a senior, was one of the most popular guys
around, not only because of his moves on the court, but because of his
good looks as well.
They had been roommates in the school dorm since junior high. In
spite of their vast difference in personality, they treated each other
like brothers.
"I never knew Lantis had a sister. Besides, she doesn't look
anything like him."
"Well, neither does Eagle," Geo absently pointed out, still
checking to make sure that there wasn't anyone following them.
Zazu abruptly stopped, causing Geo to bump into him and almost
toppling them over.
"Geo! Will you stop looking behind your back every five seconds!"
"Sorry... hey, you actually kept count?"
Zazu glared up at him. "Are you expecting your groupies to jump on
you from every dark corner!"
"Yes."
"Arrrgh! Will you stop being so goddamn paranoid!" Zazu tore at his
hair in frustration.
"Can you blame me? Fifteen minutes after I broke up with my ex-
girlfriend this morning and they were all over me!"
"There goes your one week of romance," Zazu muttered, _and there
goes my one week of peace and quiet._
"We got into the relationship for all the wrong reasons," Geo
rubbed his neck, "it's better this way... I think."
"Geo, the girl had an IQ somewhere between a brick and a house
plant." Zazu smirked. "You're better off with a pet parrot."
Geo shook his head, "Boy, you couldn't be more wrong - Tatra's
actually pretty smart, and she's nothing like her scheming twin sister."
"Yeah, right," he flippantly replied then decided to change the
subject. "What did you say her name was again? Lantis' sister, I mean."
"Hikaru, Hikaru Shido."
"Hmmm... Hikaru," Zazu savored her name as it rolled off his
tongue. "Her name means 'light'. It suits her perfectly."
"Heck, you'd still say it's perfect even if her name was
'Tallulah'!"
"C'mon, Geo, quit foolin' around! Whaddya know about her?" Zazu
jerked his tie till he finally gave in.
"Okay, okay! Hmm... from what I heard, Hikaru is graduating junior
high this year. She practices kendo at their dojo and is also a part of
the school's gymnastics team."
"That's all?" Disappointment clearly showed in Zazu's face, then he
suddenly brightened up, "By the way, what's her height?"
"You're taller than her, okay!? Happy now?" Then he smugly added,
"So what, if she happened to be the only fifteen-year-old girl in this
school who's smaller than you? That's hardly enough reason for you to go
after her, right?"
"Ha-ha, very funny. Could we just leave my height outta this?" Zazu
fumed. He couldn't believe that Geo was turning traitor on him, just
because he was showing interest in Lantis's and Eagle's sister.
"Forget it, Zazu - she's the youngest, not to mention the only,
girl among the Shido siblings. The word 'overprotective' doesn't even
begin to describe the situation."
"Some friend you are," Zazu mumbled before his attention shifted to
something behind Geo. For a moment, Zazu simply gaped, then whistled
under his breath.
"Looks like our fair-haired Romeo has done it again. Man, check out
that babe Eagle's walking to class with!"
"Zazu, that's no way to refer to a..." Geo was struck dumb when his
eyes clapped on the most angelic face he'd ever seen.
Her long wavy hair was the color of coffee laden with cream. Her
green eyes reminded him of leaves sprinkled with dewdrops just after a
spring shower. Her smile was...
Geo shook his head as if to pull himself out of a trance, "Must've
got it bad, pal, you're starting to spout bad poetry," he muttered
disgustingly to himself.
Geo had to clear his throat twice before he could mutter a stale
comment for the benefit of Zazu's ears. "She's not bad."
"Are you nuts?! She's got to be one of the loveliest..."
"She just ain't my type," he shrugged.
"Oh yeah, I just remembered. Your tastes run along the one-brain-
cell variety."
"How many times do I have to tell you - Tatra is NOT a dummy!"
"Whatever. At least Eagle has some class - HE doesn't go for brain-
dead bimbos."
"Meaning I do?" he growled, lifting Zazu by the collar until the
toes of his black leather shoes barely touched the floor.
Zazu even dared to give him a lopsided grin, looking not the least
bit intimidated by his friend's massive bulk or his scare tactics. "Hey,
man. If the shoe fits."
* * *
It was late in the afternoon. Students were already heading out to
the school grounds. Classes were over and only a few people could be
found loitering along the hallways.
Hikaru hummed a lively tune under her breath as her footsteps
echoed down the deserted corridor. She entered the Bio lab and quietly
shut the door behind her. She placed her knapsack on one of the lab
tables and walked up to the cages where the rabbits were kept.
"Hi, you guys. Missed me?" she murmured while reaching out through
the small door to pet a soft furry white head. "Ohh, Shiro, you're sooo
cute!" Another rabbit, this one with brown patches, scampered up to nudge
her hand with its cold nose. "Chairo, you're always begging for
attention." She giggled, tweaking its long brown ears.
"Here, I got something for you guys," she excitedly whispered while
taking out a small packet containing carrot cubes from her skirt pocket.
She was happily feeding the two when her gaze fell on the gray rabbit who
was sitting on one corner of the cage. She placed some carrots before it,
but it made no move to eat any.
"What's wrong, Nezumi?" She lightly ran her fingers over its body
and noticed that it was shivering. "You don't look well, little fella. I
think..." Hikaru didn't get to finish when a hand suddenly descended on
her shoulder, causing her to turn around.
She came face to face with a young man holding up a huge syringe
with a nasty-looking injection needle.
Hikaru took a deep breath and screamed.
"Hey, Hikaru. Stop! It's just me!" The young man held one hand over
his ear and started waving around the needle in front of her face in
panic.
"Ascot-sempai! Stop waving that thing at me!" she shrieked.
"I... ah, what thing?" he asked, then saw the injection needle.
"Eeep! ... ah, sorry 'bout that," and he immediately placed the menacing
article on the counter.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" She took several deep breaths to
calm her nerves before sending him an inquiring glance. "It's a Monday,
right? I'm supposed to be the one to feed the rabbits today. What are you
doing here?"
"Presea-sensei told me to give Nezumi a shot for his fever. She
would've done it herself, except she was already late for their faculty
meeting."
"So she sent you down, instead," Hikaru said as she watched Ascot
bring the gray rabbit out of the cage.
"Yup. Hikaru, will you hold him still for a moment?" He pushed the
plunger until a small drop of liquid appeared at the tip of the needle.
"Oh, God. I can't look." She tightly shut her eyes but continued to
stroke the rabbit's head, offering what little comfort she could give to
the creature.
After administering the shot, Ascot looked at her cringing
expression and laughed. If one didn't know any better, they'd think that
he was giving the shot to HER instead of the rabbit. "Hikaru, you're such
a baby."
"I am not!" she retorted, her eyes still closed. "Besides, who'd
want to see you poking that nasty-looking needle into this cute little
bunny?"
"Well, it's safe to open your eyes now."
"Don't worry, Nezumi, you'll be okay come morning," Hikaru murmured
to the rabbit as she cuddled it close. She placed him in a separate cage
and tweaked his ears before bolting the small door. "You have to stay
here, though, just to make sure that the others don't get sick, too."
"C'mon, Hikaru. Let's go."
"Okay."
Ascot held the door open for her. After that, he flicked off the
lights and locked the door. He placed the key in his shirt pocket and
then noticed Hikaru staring at his tie.
"Sempai, your tie isn't knotted properly," she said, reaching out
to fix his lousy handiwork.
"Don't bother," he answered, "it's been that way the entire day,"
then took off the detestable dark blue tie. "Besides, classes ended
thirty minutes ago."
Just then, they heard footfalls echoing around the corner.
"Hikaru!" Umi called out; she rounded the corner and caught a
glimpse of her friend standing near the door of the Bio lab. "Hikaru, I
knew I'd find you here. Your bro..." Umi's voice deserted her the moment
her blue eyes collided with a pair of dark green ones.
_It's him!_
The guy from the flag ceremony this morning was standing beside
Hikaru, clutching the silk tie in his hands. His expression showed that
he was just as surprised to see her.
Umi finally managed to put on a smile and walked up to them.
"I... ah, think I have to go now," Ascot muttered, turning around.
"Oh, hello, Umi." Hikaru grabbed hold of Ascot's shirt to make sure
that he didn't get away. He was trapped and had no choice but to face the
inevitable. "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Ascot is a high
school freshman. He just transferred this year and his sister, Caldina,
is the new Econ teacher in the high school faculty department."
"Hi, I'm Umi Ryuzaki. I happen to be one of Hikaru's best friends
and her classmate, as well," Umi charmingly said as she held out her
hand.
"Hello, n-nice to, uh, meet you, Ryuzaki-san," Ascot muttered as he
enfolded her delicate hand in his clammy grasp.
Umi tried not to let her disappointment show when he quickly let go
of her hand. "Please, call me Umi," she said, bringing her hands behind
her back, "So, tell me, how did you meet Hikaru?"
"At the flag ceremony...," he started, then caught Hikaru's stifled
giggle before encountering Umi's blushing look. "No! What I meant was at
the lab... uh, there were hamsters and Miss Presea came along... then
she, uh..."
"It was almost three weeks ago - remember when I was taking care of
those hamsters in the high school Bio lab as well?" Hikaru asked Umi
before continuing. "Presea-sensei brought Ascot-sempai along and told me
that she finally found someone to look after the hamsters - making my job
easier, now that I only have to look after the rabbits in this lab."
"Oh, I remember that one. You were pretty miffed about losing YOUR
hamsters to me." Ascot grinned. "But we eventually worked it out. I get
to spend Mondays and Thursdays with the hamsters while she gets to be
with them for the remaining three schooldays."
"That's nice," Umi lamely commented, feeling a trifle out of place
and a little envious of their camaraderie. "Oh, by the way, Eagle is
waiting for you at the gym."
"Okay. Bye, Ascot-sempai. Guess I'll just see you tomorrow, then."
"Let me walk you girls to the gym. Besides, I'm heading there
myself," Ascot shyly offered.
"You are?" Umi curiously asked, "Why?"
"I'm meeting someone there, too."
"Someone special - I... ah, mean, important?" Umi crossed her
fingers behind her back and prayed for him to say no.
"Well, yeah. You could say that."
"Oh."
* * *
A young man was running down the deserted hallways, his hurried
footfalls breaking the vast silence. He shifted his knapsack higher on
his shoulder and tucked his left arm closer to his side. A cast made of
foam padding and strong plastic extended from below his elbow to cover a
part of his left hand. He was wearing a big grin on his face.
"This is great, after the doctor removes the cast this afternoon,
I'll be able to play ball again! Now, if only I made the team..."
The soft strains of the piano caused him to stop in his tracks. It
was coming from inside the music hall. The song was a dreamy, haunting
melody that called out to him.
The door was ajar, allowing him to peer inside the semi-dark room.
His amber eyes furtively rested on the girl sitting on the piano bench.
The windows offered a view of the sunset outside, casting her delicate
profile in shadow.
The music rippled through him, each note vibrating along his nerve
endings. He wanted to see her - and with that thought in mind, he decided
to sneak inside the room.
He slowly opened the door wider, careful not make a sound.
Unfortunately, his plastic cast managed to bang against the doorknob.
The music immediately halted, followed by a tense silence.
"Who's there?" a timid feminine voice asked.
He inched back behind the door and into the hallway once again.
Holding his breath, he chanced another peek. She was looking intently at
the door. He was sure she couldn't see him, the hallway was just too
dark.
Seemingly content that no one was around, she finally went back to
the piano and began to play another haunting sonata.
He turned away from the door and walked down the deserted hallway.
It wasn't his intention to spook her or anything, he just wanted to
hear her play. For a moment, he stopped walking and sent a wavering
glance at the door of the music hall.
"Nah, she'd probably freak out or mistake me for a hoodlum," he
murmured knowingly as his fingers traced the scars on his face that
resulted from a car crash two months ago.
A regretful sigh echoed against the walls. He hardly realized that
it was his own.
Shifting his knapsack once again, he straightened his shoulders and
walked out of the building.
* * *
"Ninety-one, ninety-two..."
Ascot, still dressed in his uniform, was lying on his bed, idly
tossing a basketball in a series of practice shots against the wall. He
winced slightly as he felt his shoulder muscles began to protest. He'd
been doing this exercise since he came back from the gym that afternoon.
"Man, I'm bored." He caught the ball, placed it on his chest and
stared morosely at the ceiling. "I should've gone along with Eagle-sempai
and the girls to the Akashokudo. Keeping company with two cute girls is
definitely preferable to being stuck here in the dorm."
_Besides, it would give me a viable excuse to be with Umi._
Ascot smiled at the thought. Yes, it will be a great opportunity to
get to know Ryuzaki-san. And, later, if he could muster enough courage,
he'd ask for her phone number and call-
"... back to Earth, man."
A balled-up towel hit him square in the face, instantly jerking him
out of his reverie. He got up and glared at the green-haired culprit who
was presently laughing his head off near the doorway.
"Ferio, you..." Ascot growled.
"Sorry, man. I, hehehe... HAHAHAHAHA... I just couldn't help it!!!"
Ascot glowered some more - he obviously could see THAT for himself.
Ferio continued, "I've been watching you sitting there for almost
five minutes, staring into space with that weird look on your face."
"Can it, man."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you looked like a lovesick
swain!"
Ascot, who was now royally pissed off, threw the ball at Ferio -
but he was in for a surprise when Ferio caught it with his left hand.
"Hey, you finally had the cast taken off! How's your arm?"
"Good as new." Ferio held up the cast, "Makes a pretty cool
memorabilia," then pointed at the scar that ran across his cheek. "Almost
as good as this one, don't you think so?"
"Not quite. Toss it over."
"What? The ball or the cast?"
"The cast."
"Here ya go."
Ascot caught the cast, he reached for a neon green marker and wrote
on the small blank space amidst the numerous 'get well' greetings
scribbled there.
"Here, catch," he said, tossing the cast back at his friend. At the
same time, Ferio threw the ball at him. The exchange ended up with Ferio
holding the cast and Ascot with the basketball.
Ferio's face broke into a huge grin after he silently read Ascot's
short note.
"I made the team... hot damn... I made the team!!!" He threw the
cast on the bed and started jumping around, punching the air in pure
exhilaration. "YES!"
Ascot understood his friend's happiness. Convincing the Coach to
let Ferio enter the try-outs, with his left arm in a cast, was like
reasoning with a thick-headed mule - good thing his big sister was there
to do the sweet-talking. Still, it was a fair deal. All Ferio needed was
a chance to show them how good he was on the court. Everything else after
that was entirely the Coach's decision.
"So, mind telling me why you weren't at the briefing at the gym
this afternoon?"
Ferio's mood instantly took a nosedive. "I... hmm," Ferio racked
his brain for an excuse. He couldn't possibly tell him that he got
sidetracked because he was busy spying on some girl playing the piano in
the music hall.
"Not to worry, I happened to come up with a believable alibi and
told Coach Lafarga you'll be reporting for practice this Wednesday,
instead."
"Thanks, man. I owe you one."
"Nope, you owe me two. I'm keeping tabs on it," Ascot replied
smugly as he bounce-passed the ball to Ferio. "Who knows? I might be
calling in a favor anytime soon."
Ferio heard a knock and stepped to the right side of the door as it
opened, he didn't see the ball coming his way.
"Hi, I'm... aaaack!" Zazu's smile was instantly replaced with
terror as he stared at a basketball heading in a direct collision course
with his face. He flinched, bracing himself for the pain...
<Pak!>
"Ooouch!!!" Zazu screamed.
Silence.
He peeled open one eye, then the other. He felt his face and was
amazed that it wasn't sore. The green-haired guy near the door was
holding the basketball in his hands, giving him a complacent look. The
other guy on the bed simply gaped at him.
"I, ah, sorry 'bout that," Zazu said, his brow knotted into a frown
as he eyed the two...
_Hey wait, these guys aren't seniors!_ Zazu looked at the number
tag on his key then checked the number on the door. It read 207 - the two
matched.
"Hey, kid. You alright?" This was coming from the brown-haired guy
who was now peering down at him with genuine concern.
"Are you by any chance lost, Ack?" the green-haired boy asked,
trying hard to stifle a laugh. "The junior high boarding rooms are
located at the west wing of the dorm."
_The nerve of this punk! Does this dork actually think that HE was
a junior high?!_ Zazu simmered in anger.
"Ferio, stop picking on him," the other boy said reprovingly.
"Well, he said his name was Ack," Ferio shrugged.
"Excuse me. Sorry, wrong room," Zazu muttered under his breath,
pocketing his key. He pulled at his bags and started dragging them down
the hallway.
* * *
Geo was on the floor, tinkering with his motorcycle. The vintage
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide was his pride and joy. His face was sweaty
and smeared with grease, but he didn't seem to mind as he sat there
whistling Mozart's 40th Symphony while working.
He was in the process of replacing the front tire of his bike when
Lantis entered the room carrying a bottle of mineral water and a
chocolate bar.
"The guys next door just pulled up the price - 5000 yen, if you're
willing to get back together with your ex-girlfriend."
"No way, dammit. Man, don't they ever give up!" Geo growled in
exasperation.
"I guess not. Can't blame them, they're only protecting their
'future prospects'." Lantis lifted one corner of his lips in wry
amusement. It was the closest thing to a smile Geo ever saw him manage in
the last three years they'd known each other.
Lantis kicked off his shoes and settled on the bed. He reached for
his calculus textbook and started thumbing through it while taking a long
draught of the sweet cool water.
"Geez, I'm parched. Can I have a sip of that mineral water?"
"Sure." He screwed the cap back on and tossed the bottle to Geo.
"Thanks," Geo lifted the bottle to his lips and drank half of the
water. "Ahhh... that was great."
Lantis peeled the wrapper off a Milky Way bar, he was about to sink
his teeth into the luscious chocolatey morsel when Geo spoke again.
"That looks awfully good, can I have some of that chocolate?"
Lantis heaved a defeated sigh. _Who am I to stand between Geo's
sweet tooth and a chocolate bar?_
He gave the Milky Way bar one last look before wrapping it up again
and grudgingly tossing it to his friend, "Here, it's yours."
"Hey, thanks! You really are a great friend. This happened to be my
favorite, too." Geo grinned.
Lantis watched in bored silence as Geo demolished the chocolate bar
in ten seconds flat.
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Geo asked, licking the bits of
chocolate fudge off the wrapper.
"No."
"O-kay. But I'll ask you anyway," totally unaffected by Lantis's
flat-out refusal.
Lantis shook his head. The guy was amazing - he just robbed him of
his snack, and now he wanted to rob him of his privacy as well! Heck, so
what else is new? Geo's been doing that since they've become classmates
back in first-year high school.
"Pop quiz: What will you do if some schmuck went and courted your
sister?"
Geo watched Lantis carefully, taking in every nuance of movement on
his face that would betray his emotions. It wasn't easy, the guy could
give rocks some lessons on silence.
A muscle jumped to life on Lantis' jaw, a telltale sign that his
words actually had quite a destructive effect on his friend's self-
control. He gave Geo a look that could freeze Hell over.
"Whoever he is, tell him to -"
Lantis never got to finish - Zazu suddenly barged into their room,
dragging his travelling bags with him. The seventeen-year-old boy genius
was cursing graphically, and rather fluently, in three different
languages.
"Ever thought of knocking first before barging in?" Geo scowled. "I
think your folks forgot to pack you some manners when they sent you back
here in Ryudo!"
"Oh, by the way - the guys right across the hall just went into a
'joint venture' with your next door neighbors." Zazu paused to watch
Geo's scowl do the impossible and darkened a few shades more. "The price
just doubled - 10,000 yen, and they'll even shoulder your chocolate
addiction for the rest of the year. That is IF you'll get back together
with your ex."
"Arrrrgh!" Geo got up and stomped towards the door, "I just have
had enough of this!" He stepped out on the corridor and shouted at the
top of his lungs. "Listen, you morons! One more attempt at bribery and I
swear I'll hit on all the cute girls you've all been panting after!" Geo
threatened, "And don't think, even for one second, that I don't know who
they are. I'll have Zazu make a list!"
"Way to go, Geo! Spoken like a true Casanova!" Zazu sarcastically
cheered, clapping his hands as Geo entered the room once again. "Thank
you, for taking sixty years off my life."
"Shut up, Zazu. Those blokes wouldn't lay a finger on you, not
while I'm around."
"So, does this means you'll let me bunk in with you guys for the
night?"
"No," the two replied in unison.
"Ah, c'mon, guys. Just for one night, until I fix this mix-up with
the room they gave me."
"Zazu, where do you intend to sleep, on the floor? Look around you,
man, this isn't a room... it's a utility closet!"
"Well, you'd have more room if you'd just park that chrome
monstrosity of yours in the garage." Zazu pointed at Geo's motorcycle.
"What, so that you could sneak downstairs, hot-wire it and take it
for a joy ride?! No way!" Geo shot back.
"Wait a minute, what mix-up? I thought they give you a three-person
room. Those rooms are way better than this dump," Lantis said.
"Weeell... they did," Zazu replied, taking in the cramped space, or
rather what little there was of it. "And it's definitely more spacious
than this 'shoebox' of yours-"
"Hey, watch it. No one gets to insult OUR room but us," Geo warned.
"But those imbeciles at the Dorm Manager's Office assigned me a
room on the freshmen wing!"
Geo scratched his head, "So, what's the problem with that?"
Zazu turned to Lantis and whispered, "Is he dense or what?" He then
grabbed Geo's shirt and shouted, "It means that I'll be bunking with
freshies for my last year here in Ryudo!!!"
"Heck, that's not my fault - I wasn't the one who was late in
submitting my room request to the office."
"Hah! A lot of good that did you." Zazu glanced around the room in
distaste, "Check out this rat hole!"
"Well, at least I'm not stuck with a bunch of greenhorns for
roommates."
Zazu stretched his mouth wide with his forefingers and stuck out
his tongue. "Bluduh-bluduh-bluduh..."
"Why, you little...," Geo growled as he started to get up.
"Stop." Lantis need not raise his voice, his authoritative tone
alone was enough to stop their bickering. "Okay, Zazu. Spit it out, what
did your roommates say?" Lantis asked.
Zazu took his fingers out of his mouth and looked away.
Geo frowned, obviously bothered by his friend's troubled silence.
"Zazu?" Geo saw him wipe his nose with his shirtsleeve and sniff. "What's
wrong?"
"Whaaaaaahh!" Zazu broke down and glomped on Geo's shirt. He
started crying hysterically. Tears gushed out of his eyes like a
fountain, soaking Geo's shirtfront.
Geo awkwardly tried to comfort his friend, looking at Lantis for
help.
"They actually thought that I was a junior high!" Zazu muttered as
he noisily blew his nose on the red bandanna Geo thrust at him. "And some
green-haired bozo even gave me directions on how to get to the junior's
dorm!"
Lantis face-faulted, a sweatdrop appearing beside his head. He was
about to comment when the receptionist on the front desk called for him:
"Paging Lantis Shido. Lantis Shido, your brother Eagle is on the
phone for you."
"Later, you guys." He waved and left the room.
"Don't worry, buddy," Geo patted Zazu's back, a devious smile
spreading across his handsome face. "What do you say? Let's pay these new
roommates of yours a little visit..."
* * *
"Nothing beats Akashokudo's tonkatsu!" Hikaru said, rubbing her
tummy with a contented sigh.
"Nope. I still think their tempura's the best," Umi argued as she
leaned her head against Eagle's shoulder. "Don't you think so, Eagle-
sempai?"
"I think I'm broke," he replied, showing them his empty wallet. He
was settled between the two girls in the lush leather backseat of Umi's
Black Mercedes.
The girls started giggling at his forlorn expression. Umi had
insisted on giving them a ride home after Eagle had treated her, Hikaru,
Fuu and Kuu for a snack at the Akashokudo, the favorite hangout of
Ryudo's high school students.
"Go on, laugh! This is the last time I'm gonna let you two girls
goon me into paying for your food trips."
Umi snickered at his threat. That was the same thing he said the
last time he treated them out - and that was last month, when they
celebrated their first week back in school.
"What do you think of Kuu-chan, Eagle-sempai?"
"She's sweet, quiet, smart..." Eagle rubbed his chin, "Hmmm... and
pretty." _Just like her sisters - a typical Ho'oji,_ he added silently.
"How'd she do in her first day in class?"
"She still has a lot of catching up to do. We've scheduled the
first tutorial this Saturday at her place. Socially...," Eagle smiled,
remembering Kuu's slightly harassed expression during lunchtime, when his
male classmates started flocking around her, offering their lunch, "...
let's just say, she'd have to take a little getting use to all the
attention."
"If the attention we're talking about is anything like Tarta's
venomous glare back at the diner, she's in big trouble," Umi pointed out.
Eagle's good humor suddenly went sour at the mention of his 'arch-
enemy's' name. Tarta was definitely a piece of work, a snotty prima donna
with a 'world dominatrix' complex. She believed that everyone could be
bought at the right price - a concept she applied every election period
for the past five years, which, unfortunately, hasn't failed her yet.
"Uh, did I just said something wrong?"
"Tarta and I, we were our own disagreeable selves once again, and
Kuu... well, she got dragged into the firing line."
"What were you two arguing about this time?" Hikaru asked.
"Tarta wanted to revive The Geo Metro Fans Club the moment she
found out that Geo broke up with her sister, Tatra, this morning." Eagle
crossed his arms on his chest. "I told her to forget it."
"So? What's that got to do with Kuu?"
"Tarta tried to recruit her."
"And what did Kuu-chan say?"
"She said that she didn't have any intention of chasing after some
dumb jock." Eagle started laughing. "You should've seen their faces, they
couldn't believe that the new girl would insult their most revered
heartthrob."
"And I'll bet Tarta wanted to flay her alive right on the spot,"
Umi said.
"Looks like it's open season on Geo-sempai again!" Hikaru threw in
her two-yen's worth.
"Half of the male high school population wanted to kill Geo for
breaking up with Tatra. Last I heard from Lantis, Geo was being bribed by
his dormmates to get back together with his ex and to stay with her for
the whole year."
"I'll bet those jerks just couldn't wait for him to graduate and go
off to college," Umi fumed.
"Eagle, what do you plan to do with Kuu-chan's problem?" Hikaru
quickly changed the topic. She felt uncomfortable talking about
graduation. It was an unwanted reminder that Lantis would be heading off
to college himself, since he, too, was a senior like Geo.
"Nothing."
"Nothing!" Umi's azure eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you crazy!
This is Tarta we're talking about! She wouldn't let this pass just like
that." Umi snapped her fingers. "She'd want to get even."
"Don't you think my brother knows that?" Hikaru said, "He played a
trick on Tarta once, back in junior high, and she still hasn't forgiven
him."
"And what exactly did you do, Eagle-sempai?"
"Hoisted her gym shorts up the flag pole in front of the boys'
dorm," Eagle replied, straight-faced.
"You didn't!" Umi gasped.
"Sure did!"
"But... why?!"
"I should've won the class elections for president and she
cheated." Eagle flashed Umi a wry grin. "And you know me, I never get
angry - I get even."
"Still, you're not leaving Kuu to Tarta's mercy, are you?"
"Umi, you're forgetting something: Kuu's a Ho'oji. The sun rises,
the sun sets, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions may plague Japan, but
nothing bad ever happens to a Ho'oji." Eagle smiled at his own
exaggeration, which, in all honesty, wasn't exactly that far off the
mark, either. "If the chaotic forces of nature can't touch them, what are
the chances of a petty revenge orchestrated by an equally petty bitch do
to her?"
"Besides, why do you think Emi's still alive despite her driving?"
Umi nodded in all seriousness. "You got a point there."
* * *
The soft strains of X Japan's 'Forever Love' drifted from
component's CD player in the living room. Zagato Shido sniffled back the
pathetic tears that were threatening to break free. He tried, oh how he
tried, but it was like preventing the Great Deluge itself. At the song's
refrain, the dam of his restraint broke and tears streamed down his
cheeks like rivers of sorrow.
Eagle entered the kitchen, took one look at his brother and said:
"Peel the onions over running water, Niisama. That way you can
spare yourself the melodrama every time you decide to prepare dinner."
"... is it too much to ask for a little respect around here?"
Zagato grumbled to himself. Nevertheless, he walked toward the kitchen
sink and decided to follow his brother's sound advice.
"Oh, by the way. Your ladylove almost ran us down this morning on
our way to school."
"My WHAT?!"
"Emi," Eagle said, waiting for Zagato to deny it.
"But her driver's license was revoked last week" was all his
brother said.
Eagle just shrugged and left the kitchen. He smiled, thinking of
what Hikaru's reaction would be when he finally tells her about this new
development.
Zagato picked up the phone and dialed a number, a genial voice
answered the phone at the second ring.
"Hello, Ho'oji Residence."
"May I speak to Emeraude, please?" He sat on a stool in front of
the kitchen counter, cradling the phone against his neck. He took a
paring knife and started peeling some carrots.
"Hello, Emi," his voice softened to a caress, "So how was your
day?" He smiled, loving the sound of her voice as she told him about the
joy of driving her own car again after a week of taking the bus to work.
_This is going to be much harder than I thought._ His smile was
faltering when he realized just how difficult it was going to be
convincing Emi to give up her beloved Cefiro.
Unknown to him, Hikaru and Eagle were huddled together,
eavesdropping behind the kitchen door.
"I missed you... it's been two days, fourteen hours and...," he
looked down at his watch, "seven minutes since I last held you."
Hikaru's eyes widened in surprise. "Since when did Zagato and Emi
mmrph--" Eagle clamped his hand over her mouth, holding his forefinger
against his lips.
Zagato thrilled to hear Emi's crystal clear laughter at the other
end of the line. "So, what do you say if I drive you to work tomorrow
morning?"
Eagle had to swallow back a snicker. "Smooth. Real smooth, bro."
Opening the door a crack to peer inside, he saw his brother swallow with
great difficulty.
"Who would've ever thought that Niisama would turn into a nervous
wreck when faced with Emi's infamous driving?" Hikaru whispered beside
Eagle.
"You want me to drive your car?" he started. "Honey, wouldn't it be
more practical if we take my car instead?" After a few seconds he finally
relented, "Okay, okay... fine with me." Zagato decided to quit while he
was ahead, "I'll be seeing you tomorrow, then... right, seven A.M. I'll
be there. Bye, Sweetcakes... no, you put it down first."
"Sweetcakes?" Hikaru mouthed at Eagle, who was tearfully gnawing at
the wooden doorframe to keep himself from laughing.
Zagato heard the phone click at the other end of the line after Emi
said her good-byes. It was only then that he heard a scratching sound
from the doorway.
"Why don't we put the phone down together, at the same time? On the
count of three..." Zagato continued speaking as he gently set the handle
on the cradle and stealthily edged toward the kitchen door. "One...," he
held onto the doorknob, "two...," then jerked the door wide open,
"three."
He watched with smug satisfaction as his two nosy siblings fell to
the floor with a thud.
"Uh, hmmm... Hi, Niisama!" Hikaru squeaked - she was pinned down by
his weight on the floor. "Eagle, move over. I can't breathe!"
"Sorry, sis." Eagle stood and pulled her up with him. He exchanged
looks with his sister, and luckily she was quick to pick up on it.
"Bye, Niisama!" She ran up to her room before their eldest brother
had any chance to reprimand her.
"Oh, by the way - just make sure your eyes stay on road and your
hands on the steering wheel," Eagle babbled as he inched his way out of
the kitchen.
Zagato shook his head and lifted his eyes imploringly to the
ceiling, "Tell me! What have I've done to deserve this!!!"
And, as if on cue, Eagle poked his around the kitchen doorway, a
leer gracing his otherwise angelic face.
"And, one more thing, no unscheduled stops on dark, deserted
highways, okay?"
"Eagle!!!"
- end of chapter 1 -
=======================================================================
Whew! I finally got to finish the first chapter. I started this series
simply because R&T was getting too dark for me, I've been toying with
the idea for months but was just too lazy to write it down. And now for
the following people...
Nomad : It seems that everyone got to edit this thing except for you -
and to think that we plotted this one out over the phone.
Scriv : THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!! And what a wonderful fault it is.
Thanks, man - Now I have 2 series to finish, instead of one.
Switch: The best way to brainstorm on a fic is over a pizza. Thanks.
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