Kiyoko was lain out in the grass, Kokoro on her left and Mikomi on her right. The river slowly ran by at their feet and the large boulder was only a few feet from them. While the sun was caressing their cheeks, their clothes were warm and the grass cool. It was serene.
“Hey Kiyoko?” Mikomi’s quiet voice carried on the wind.
“Hmm...” Kiyoko’s eyes were closed as she spoke incoherently.
“Do you think surprises are good?”
“Depends. Why do you ask?”
Kiyoko looked to Mikomi; Kokoro was snoring quietly behind her.
“Well, Ronin’s been acting strangely the past few days.”
“How so?”
“He seems to be thinking a lot, pausing while he’s talking for no reason and mumbling to himself.”
“You think he’s planning something for you?”
“I don’t know! It makes me so nervous!”
Her arms were stretched out against her body, her hands in small fists. Kiyoko sat up and placed a composed hand over Mikomi’s trembling ones.
“Calm down. I’m sure it’s nothing bad, he’s probably just anxious about telling you something. I mean you are his longest lasting girlfriend.”
“Yeah…ok.” Mikomi inhaled slowly with her eyes shut.
“Better?”
“Yeah, I think.”
A loud snort came from behind them, they both turned to see Kokoro turn over in the grass.
“We should probably wake her.”
“We should.”
Kiyoko stood and crept over to the stream. She cupped her hands, dipped them in and pulled up some water. It was rather cold despite the sun’s rays. She snuck up to Kokoro’s legs and dropped the liquid.
“AHH!” Kokoro sat up quickly, a blade of grass fixed to her face; Kiyoko and Mikomi laughed hysterically.
“What was that for!?”
“Oh, you were snoring,” Mikomi said, while leaning her cheek against her hand, her feet up in the air behind her. Kiyoko sat back down between the two and looked at Kokoro’s face.
“What?” Kokoro pulled back, suspecting something bad may happen.
Kiyoko put her hand out, reaching for Kokoro’s face-“you have grass stuck to your face”-she pulled the blade off and they laughed. She flicked it away and fell back in the grass, followed by Kokoro.
“So Kiyoko, what are you gonna do for the dance stuff?” Mikomi turned to Kiyoko, her legs going back and forth.
“Yeah, do you even know what you’re supposed to do?” Kokoro faced her as well.
“Oh I finished all that yesterday afternoon.”
“What!?” the two shouted.
“Yeah, I turned my information into the student council office this morning.”
“You were just nominated yesterday!” Mikomi leaned forward on her arms in the grass.
“So?”
Mikomi and Kokoro looked at each other then back at Kiyoko who was reclined in the grass, eyes closed.
“So who’s the entertainment!?” Mikomi blurted.
Kiyoko cracked an eye open to look at Mikomi, who was leaning on her elbows even more with her usual sanguine expression.
“You’ll have to find out for yourself.”
“But that’s not for two and a half months!” Kokoro shouted.
“However will you survive?” She sarcastically sighed then started laughing, followed by the others.
“So, if you turned it in this morning, I’m sure the President and Leader have it by now.” Mikomi said quietly as they all laid back down.
“Probably.” Kiyoko sighed.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
It was seven a.m., two hours before school, Kayo and a fast asleep Tatoya on his corner desk were already there, as Ronin was coming in.
“Hey Ronin,”-Kayo called from her desk as he walked in.-“There’s a folder for you on your desk.”
“Who from?” He stopped before her.
She shrugged her shoulders.-“Don’t know. Tatoya fell asleep here; he said when he woke up around five there was a folder in the inbox outside the room.”
“That’s weird…”
“Yeah.” She was fiddling with her pencil a little while watching his handsome face contemplate who knows what. He looked over at her.
“What?”
She jerked back, looked down at her notepad, and started writing various scribbles to hide herself and change the subject.
“Whatever.” He walked on and into his little office, as he sat down he picked up the folder. A taped down post-it with ‘President’ written very neatly on it was on the front cover.
“Strange.”
He opened the folder; small clear tabs came from beneath the sides of the papers. There was a blank page in front, he turned it, and a small note was printed on the next page.
To the Second Year President and Third Year Leader of the Student Council:
This folder contains all the information I gave to the planner and entertainment performer, as well as any other facts and details concerning the dance and preparations. Please don’t come to me with anymore meaningless tasks.
Sincerely,
The Vice President
“That’s…so bizarre.”
He kept going through the folder; everything was neat and organized; complete and perfect. It was shocking, the Vice President was only just elected yesterday! He closed the folder, stood up from the desk and headed out the door.
“Kayo,”- she looked up from writing something-“is Sateko here yet?
“Yeah, he came in a couple minutes ago. He’s in his office.”
Ronin turned from her and headed to a closed door and knocked lightly.
“Yeah?”
“Sateko, it’s Ronin, I have something you may want to see.”
“Come in.”
Ronin opened the door and closed it behind him. Sateko stood in place, his chair behind him; only a small dim light in the room and the curtains were drawn. He was very tall, lean but with muscle, his hair was short, coming a little over his ears and a brush of bangs to the right.
“What is it?”
“Look at this.”- he handed Sateko the folder- “This morning around five, Tatoya, who fell asleep here again”-Sateko rolled his eyes-“said when he woke up there was this folder outside the door. It’s from the Vice President.
“And who’s that?”
“I don’t know. Whoever he is, he never came to meet me about the job, though I don’t think he would’ve needed to.”
“What do you mean?”
“Open the folder.”
Sateko opened the folder and turned to the page with the note.
“Wow…”
“Yeah. Whoever this is, he’s obviously smart, but I have no idea who.”
Sateko flipped through the pages, astounded by how well the work was done.
“Ronin, can you figure out who this guy is?”
“Sure.” Ronin turned to leave.
“Ronin.”
Ronin stopped and looked back at Sateko. “What?”
“Can you ask your girlfriend to hook me up with one of her friends? I don’t have a date for the dance.”
“Of course, I’ll ask her later.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Ronin turned back and left the room.
“Now to find out who the vice president is.”
“What?”
Ronin looked up; Tatoya was standing in front of him with a big donut in hand.
“Huh? Oh, nothing. Just mumbling to myself.”
Tatoya lifted his eyebrow at him.
“You’ve been doing that a lot lately.”
“Really?”-he started walking away, toward the door to leave the council office-“I hadn’t noticed.”
Kayo and Tatoya exchanged a concerned look after he left.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
Ronin had been asking around for a few days, but not many people knew or remembered who had won. A group of girls thought it was ‘H’ something, which was a huge help. He sighed.
“Darn. This is becoming way too difficult!” He fell back against a window in a now quiet hallway, his head titled to the ceiling. How could nobody remember the name of who won just a few days ago! This is just not making sense.
“Ronin? The Student Council President?”
“Yeah”- he looked toward the voice; a guy was there…a familiar one- “what do you want?”
“Hmm, must not remember me.”
“Not exactly.”
“I told you to keep away from my friend once?”
“Uh…going blank, sorry.”
“Never mind”- Kihaku rolled his eyes and held out a hand, there was a small note in it addressed to Ronin.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a note from the Vice President. I was asked to give it to you.”
“O…k…?” He took the note.
“Who’s it from specifically?”
Ronin looked up and Kihaku was gone.
“Thanks a lot”- he said to himself-“Well, this is getting creepier by the second.”
Ronin opened the note.
I know you’re trying to discover who I am. If you’re really so curious, come to the large rock by the river after school.
I’ll be waiting.
“Scratch that. Now it’s creepier.”
Ronin folded the paper and placed it in his pocket. He looked at his watch, 10 minutes before the bell.
“Not long now.”
He walked down the hall and turned into the student council office to grab a few things.
The bell rang; crowds flooded the halls with noisy chatter bouncing off the walls. Ronin had been lucky enough to escape five minutes early; he wanted to be at the river before this ‘mysterious vice president.’
He was leaning against the rock, watching the gentle rush of the river. A cool breeze rustled his hair and blew through the trees.
“Hello.”
“AHH!” Ronin jumped back, hitting the rock and almost falling into the river.
“Sorry, did I startle you?”
Gentle eyes looked at him with concern as black silken hair fell around the delicate face of a very pretty girl.
“Y…yeah, I’m fine.” He stuttered, and then gave a thin smile. “You’re the girl who fell in the hall.”
She chuckled a little. “Yes, that’s me.”
“So, why are you here?”
She stepped back and stood tall.
“You came to meet me didn’t you?”
“I came…? Oh! Wait, what?”
He stepped towards her.
“You’re the mysterious Vice President?”
She nodded.
“How…?”
He scratched his head, an enormously puzzled expression on his face.
“Unexpected?”
He sat down and murmured a quiet ‘yeah’. She sat down beside him.
“It was shocking for me too.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked over to see her and jerked back a little at her close proximity to his face.
“Well, I don’t remember ever volunteering to be nominated. So when I was told I won, it was a little strange.”
“But how did that happen? Every person nominated must consent to it. It’s how we make sure these things don’t happen.”
“It’s alright. I finished the most time consuming project for this semester, so it’s not that bad now. Although, I preferred being anonymous; it gave me a mystifying edge.” She laughed a little, and he chuckled along nervously.
“Sorry about the confusion.” He muttered.
“Don’t worry; it’s not your fault.” She patted his shoulder, making him blush a little, then she stood; he followed.
“I hope you’re satisfied in solving this suspenseful mystery.”
She gave a small giggle then waved and left through the trees, her hair blowing in the wind.
“An ending with a twist.”
He laughed to himself and looked at his watch.
“Oh shoot! I have to meet Mikomi in five minutes!”
He grabbed his bag and ran the same way Kiyoko left.
“She’ll kill me if I’m late!”
As he ran, attempting to avoid the possibility of impaling himself on a tree, he heard a gentle and clear male voice. Being curious, he stopped to find the source. He stepped carefully through the trees and bushes until he saw a tall, handsome man with short-ish white hair, wearing a long black coat with peculiar aqua colored designs.
He was talking to the girl with black hair and aqua eyes; the very one he was JUST talking too! …his face fell into a frown; this was the second time he failed to ask for her name. He tried to listen but it was mostly mumbles to him, so he opted to attempt lip reading…everyone needs to try once in their life, or he was just stranger than he thought.
“The time draws closer.”
“For what?”
“I cannot say.”
“Why?”
“A promise.”
“Ok…who are you?”
“I can’t tell you that either.”
“So you came to tell me the ‘time’ draws closer…again?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” She persisted.
“I wish you to be ready.”
“But what for?”
He smiled. “We’re going in circles.”
She huffed, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I can see that.”
His smile was gentle, but sad. He seemed to be hurt about something or someone; however his warm pale blue eyes and smooth looking light tan skin drew her away from that. She stepped toward him.
“This may sound uncanny, but I feel as though I know you and this is only the second time I’ve met you.”
Ronin may not have had a lot of luck with the lip reading; he managed a few words here and there, though not much else. But when she stepped forward, he simply watched with an uncertain look taking over his face.
She had started to place her hand on the man’s face, when her eyes grew wide and her other hand clutched her chest. She breathed deeply and her legs gave way, but before she collided with the dirty ground, the good looking young man caught her up in his arms.
“He’s here already.”
Ronin watched her fall, that must have been what happened that day at school when he found her collapsed in the hallway. He saw the man scoop her up so easily, and look down lovingly at her sleeping face, before his expression changed and he mumbled something to himself. For some reason, Ronin felt anger boil inside him as he watched the man stroke her cheek and then walk away with her in his arms.
Ronin came back from his hiding place, itching to follow them, but checked his watch. He was already ten minutes late! He moved to run away, looked back at where she was taken, and then ran off.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
Ronin lay sprawled in a chair across from Mikomi at a small table outside a little café in town; breathing hard to catch his breath. He calmed himself then sat up to face her.
“Are you ok?” Mikomi questioned as thoughtfully as one devouring an icy dessert could.
“Yeah”-breath-“sure.”
“Ok then.” She grinned happily and took another bite of her ice cream.
“Oh, hey Mikomi?”
“Mmm?”
“Sateko asked me if you knew anyone interested in going with him to the dance.”
“Hmm…well Kokoro has a date already. Kiyoko doesn’t, but I don’t know if she’s the blind date type.”
“Oh come on”- He leaned forward on the table-“he needs someone. You know you love playing matchmaker.”
“Well…alright. I’ll ask her.” She smiled.
“Thanks!”
He grabbed his own ice cream and began eating. The recent events on his mind gave his eyes a worried look, the strange anger still there. Mikomi beamed brightly at him after a big bite of her frozen yogurt, and he returned it with a weak smile.
“Mikomi?”
“What?”
“Is there a new student at school? Tall, white hair, light tan skin, a white mark beneath one of his eyes?”
“Nope. Never seen anyone like that.”
“Ok. Never mind.”
“Are you sure everything’s ok?”
“Perfectly.”
He smiled sweetly and placed his hand over Mikomi’s; she turned deep red.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
Kiyoko felt like she was warm and relaxed, but oddly bouncing up and down, with a faint shout all around her.
“Kiyoko!” –Akina hit the bed-“Get up!”-she fell back again.
“What…do you want?”
“You gotta get up! You said you needed to be up by nine!”
Kiyoko opened her eyes.
“Right, I forgot. Sorry.”
“That’s ok; you seemed a little out of it last night.”
“I did…I don’t remember.”
She stared at the ceiling.
“Come on, I made breakfast!”
“I’ll be right there”-she shouted while Akina skipped down the stairs, humming loudly.
Kiyoko put her hand to her head, trying to remember how she got home.
A handsome, gentle face crossed her mind.
“Right, the tall guy came again…he said something about time…”
“Kiyoko! Come on!”
“I’m coming!”
She grabbed a pair of faded jeans and a tan shirt, quickly put a little of her hair in a small pony tail in the back and jogged down the steps.
“I’m here.”-She buckled into a chair-“What did you make?”
“Your favorite.”
“Toast and omelettes?”
“Yup!” She smiled and placed the food before her wide eyed sister.
“Eat up!” Akina beamed again and sat down to eat as well.
Kiyoko ate quickly, thanked Akina for the meal, and bolted out the door. Mikomi wanted to meet her by the river, and she was most defiantly late by now. Kiyoko ran across town, dodging bushes and avoiding noisy pedestrians.
When she spotted the woods, the white haired man crossed her mind again. She ignored it and continued through the trees. As soon as she was a few feet from the clearing, she noticed a figure standing there. She called for Mikomi, and then stopped when she saw it was not Mikomi, or even a girl for that matter.
“Oh I’m sorry; I was looking for a friend.”
“Mikomi, right?”
“Yeah, she asked me to meet her here.”
“She asked me too.”
“Well, this was certainly underhanded of her.”
“Indeed.”
“So who are you?”
“Oh, I’m Sateko, Leader of the student council.”
“Really? That’s you?”
“Disappointed?”
“Why would I be?”
“A friend of mine said he’d ask his girlfriend if one of her friends would go to the dance with me. I guess this is her way of getting us together.”
He laughed a little and Kiyoko smiled.
“No.”
He looked puzzled-“No what?”
“I’m not disappointed.”
“Well then, will you go to the dance with me?”
His brown eyes were warm to look at; her fingers twitched, wanting to run though his dark brown hair.
“Of course.”
“Umm…since we’ve both been tricked into a long day of nothing, would you like to see a movie then get some lunch?”
“Sure.”
His expression lifted and he walked forward, she turned and they both left the clearing. Two pale blue eyes with an angry look shimmered in the trees then vanished. The time was much closer than previously calculated. This was bad.
“Today we are choosing your student council 1st year rep. Usually, the councils are different per class, in each grade. This year, however, a proposal has been made to try something new. We will have a council rep from each grade that will govern the entire student body, as well as the other few parts, such as treasurer and secretary.
“There will be a Leader, President, and Vice President; the Leader will be a third year, the President a second year, and the Vice President a third year. Does everyone understand so far?”
The young man asked the class, who all nodded with the exception of one. Kiyoko had fallen asleep. All the weird dreams she had been having were keeping her awake at night, plus class was always so boring.
“Good. Now, the Leader has already been chosen, as has the President. You are the last first year class to vote. The two nominees are Tanoya Kimishi and Kiyoko Hatoma. You have all been given a ballot to write your choice on, and when you have done that, put your vote into the box at the back of the room. We will announce your student council tomorrow morning.”
The young man left the class and every student began whispering excitedly.
“Who are you choosing?” a student asked her friend.
“I don’t know. Tanoya is cute, but also kinda rude and narcissistic. Kiyoko is quiet and doesn’t appear to do much, but she’s very nice and really smart.” The girl recited the facts to her friend.
“Yeah, …I think I’ll vote for Kiyoko.”
“Me too.”
The next morning the students were almost giddy, laughing and gossiping as they headed to class. Kiyoko had yet another sleepless night and prayed for some rest while shielding her eyes from the sun’s glare. As she walked through the hall a couple of rowdy boys went rushing past, knocking Kiyoko backwards.
Oh crap. Kiyoko shut her eyes tight and held her body still to prevent any abnormal impact. Suddenly she stopped. Her feet where up, her body slanted…but there was no SMACK, no pain, no shock, no ‘oh my gosh I’m gonna die!’
Kiyoko opened one eye to find two staring down at her. She realized someone had thankfully caught her mid fall, then scrambled out of his arms and straightened her uniform.
“You ok?” The boy asked.
“Huh? Oh yes, I’m fine. Thank you.” She replied still not looking up and continuing to wipe away imaginary debris from her skirt.
“Alright, then I guess I’ll go.” He turned and walked away.
Kiyoko just stood there; face hidden, hand held to her chest. That boy, there was something about him…something nostalgic. She breathed hard, trying to calm herself. This was so strange and anomalous; she didn’t know what to do.
A sharp pain shot through to her brain, flashes of images past her eyes and Kiyoko fell to the floor of the vacant hall, unconscious.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
“OOKAWA!” Roiyaru yelled, popping up into sitting position, fighting to take a breath.
The past fifty years Roiyaru had been having odd dreams. They always had Ookawa there; it was almost like he was watching her new life. But this one was so strange; it felt even more real then most and caused him immense panic.
One, Ookawa had suddenly passed out in the middle of an empty hall and two, she was speaking to a guy and he held her…well sort of. Just thinking about this made his blood boil; Roiyaru began tightly gripping the covers of his bed. He had already ruined seven bed sheets by screwing up the fibers with his constant worry on them.
“Ookawa.”
He whispered her name and remembered her. Roiyaru looked over at his nightstand, where a lovely white ribbon rested peacefully. He smiled and reached for the silky fabric, his long loose blonde hair falling around him. The texture was smooth and calming, and reminded him of one outfit she wore often.
A white collared shirt with a black vest-like jacket over it with intricate white designs in the top left and bottom right. Her white skirt ruffled out and fell gracefully at mid-thigh; a pair of high socks with black ribbons at the top ends covered most of her legs. She also had black boots that came up mid calf with the same white designs on the outer top rim.
Then the white ribbons; they held two small bits of her long black hair. Ookawa always looked so very pretty; Roiyaru smiled and placed the ribbon back on the stand. She would be ok, Ookawa was smart…she knew what she was doing.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
So warm, Kiyoko was so very warm. She felt like she was floating, it was such a weird sensation. Kiyoko slowly opened her eyes and came face to neck. It wasn’t hers though, well obviously.
She opened her eyes wider to view her surroundings, she found she was apparently being carried, and by a guy. The thought made the fact his hand was on her bare thigh a little embarrassing. She twitched lightly in his arms.
“Good, you’re awake.”
“…um…what happened?”
“I don’t know, after I left, I heard something in your direction and decided to go back and see what happened. You were on the floor, as though you passed out. So I’m taking you to the infirmary.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“So, what happened to you?”
“Uh…I don’t really remember. After you left I just stood there, and then…”
She paused and he looked down into her face, but her eyes were averted and uncertain.
“And then…?”
“Oh, uh…I…there was this feeling, or maybe pain. I don’t know; it just hit me…and I felt unsure…I think. Then I just…fell? I-I don’t really remember.”
“Hmm, that’s strange…”
“…yeah.”
There was a small awkward pause.
“May I put you down now? You’re sort of heavy.”
Kiyoko blushed a little and nodded. He stopped in the hall, put down her legs and slowly pushed her up with his hand on her back.
“Thank you.”
“Sure.”
“So…I’ll go then.”
“Are you gonna be ok?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Alright, bye.”
“Bye.”
Kiyoko began walking down the hall; her left hand was held to her collar, a habit that was becoming even more evident.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
“I never got your name.”
She turned her head slightly to the side, eyes hidden.
“Neither did I.”
She turned back and continued walking around the corner. He watched her go, faintly shocked, but smiled and placed his hands in his pockets as he turned to leave. She really was very mysterious.
“…I wonder if I’ll ever see you again?”
He whispered to himself as he entered the student council office.
“Tatoya, how are the ballots coming along?”
“They’re good.”
“So have we gotten the 1st year leader yet?”
“Almost. One seems to be winning by a landslide.”
“Fine. After you announce it, please send him or her to me here. I’ll prepare them for their future position.”
“Will do.” Tatoya said without even looking to Ronin. Tatoya was the best treasurer they had; he was fast, smart, responsible, and efficient.
“Kayo, do you have the papers I asked for?”
“Sure do Ronin!”
She opened a drawer in her desk and handed him a thick red folder.
“Thank you.” He said as he began shuffling through the contents of the file.
“You’re welcome.”
She smiled at him. Every council member knew she had a crush on him; however she was a third year and would leave once this term was over. She continued to watch him as he entered the room, dubbed to be his office.
Ronin read intently over the papers as he sat down at his desk.
The students voted for some sort of social event, similar to a dance. It was a lot to plan, but Ronin had been diligently working on the event. He had fortunately been able to arrange a beautiful old garden for the dance…thing; Sateko, the Leader, had already begun preparations for catering.
These things generally took most of the two and a half months they had, and now they just needed the Vice President to work with decorations and entertainment. Hopefully, everything would be done on time. Kayo had told Ronin that the new member would be announced today.
Ronin sighed. “This is going to be a long day.”
He held his hand to his head, eyes shut in frustration, his mind wondering. That girl. “I know I met her somewhere before, but…there’s like a hole in my memory.” The only part of remembrance he could remove from the empty space was cold rain and a kiss.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
Tatoya had to, yet again, go around to every class and announce the news. It was really very boring, but it got him out of his other projects and obligations.
Each class was unsurprised by the news, except the one containing the losing candidate. He continued down the hall, his pace increasing when the last door finally appeared and he slid it back loudly to get the awaiting classes attention. Heads turned, that is, all expect one. A thick head of black hair draped around the sleeping Kiyoko as Tatoya came to the front of the class.
“The votes have been counted and it seems one nominee won by an unpredictably massive amount.”
All the students were eager to know who would be their class rep.
“Your class representative is Hatoma.”
Most everyone cheered, though a couple looked annoyed.
“Kiyoko! ...Kiyoko, hey Hatoma?’
The girl in front of Kiyoko started to poke the black mass as it slowly awoke.
“Did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“You won!”
“What did I win?”
“Huh…”- she looked annoyed at Kiyoko’s responses, she didn’t like being asked stupid questions-“You’re our class Rep. of course!”
“What!” Kiyoko shot straight up in her seat, startling the girl in front of her.
“Aren’t you excited?”
“Why should I be pleased to win something I never entered?”
“Of course you entered. They can’t elect you unless you agree.”
“But I didn’t.”
“Well you must have. Every class nominated and Tatoya took every denial and acception. No one would be considered if they said no.”
“Which day was this?”
“About…”-she paused to think for a few minutes, evidently not showing superior intellect by holding her chin while she did so-“two weeks ago, a Monday.”
“I slept through most of the classes that day. I never saw any ‘Tatoya’.”
“Maybe you ‘sleep accepted’.”
She laughed a little at her lame pun as she turned in her seat to face the front of the room, but left a very confused and tired Kiyoko behind.
“Great.” She whispered under her breath as her head fell back onto the desk.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
Kiyoko walked down the fast moving hall as the students hurried to leave. She would have stayed in the room to wait out the panic and excitement, but the drama club kicked her out for play practice. Which they always needed.
“Yeah, I hear the 1st year rep. is in charge of the decorations and entertainment, the hardest job.”
“Really? Last year the 3rd year did that.”
“I think it rotates every year, depending on what we’re doing.”
“Well, as long as it’s as good as last year.”
“Defiantly.”
“Who won anyway?”
“I don’t remember, some guy.”
The two girls giggled and started walking away. Kiyoko, though, had been listening to the entire conversation.
“Decorations and entertainment…”
Kiyoko pondered briefly then continued walking through the hall to get her shoes and left. She sinuously walked on the pavement in front of the school, her eyes concentrating on nothing.
“Hmmm….They could have at least remembered my gender correctly.”
She lifted her head up in full view and began walking faster. Kiyoko wanted a quiet place to consider recent events and she knew exactly where to go. There was a small clearing by the river, she had been there once or twice before, it was quiet and peaceful, an easy place to think.
When she arrived the river was rushing gently and the sun bore into the green grass. She kept on until she was in the middle of the meadow and went over to sit on the large rock near the edge of the water, bathed in light. She removed her boots and neatly set them along side the rock, then turned to face the ripples.
“Decorations, simple. Entertainment, mild.”
Kiyoko ran through a list of popular artists in her head. Most she didn’t care for, though the few she did not mind pilled up for further contemplation. She unconsciously began to hum as she filed though the names; each had some flaw to her, but eventually she found one. Satome Kitoyi, not wonderful but he would have to do.
Kiyoko turned in her seat and began putting her shoes back on, tightening the lace as she went. Once she was satisfied that each boot was secure and comfortable, she left the open area and headed out.
First, she would acquire the decorations, then the entertainment. Each were considerably easy tasks, Kiyoko had no idea why so many thought it was the hardest.
She entered a large store as she came around the corner of the road. All she really required was to pick a planner and have them hold everything until it was needed. Kiyoko spotted a young woman putting away packages of streamers and came over to speak with her.
“Excuse me.”
“Huh, oh yes.” The woman looked down from the small ladder she was on.
“Hi, I was wondering, would you mind organizing decorations for my school’s dance?”
“Why?”
“Well, you want to be a planner don’t you?”
“How could you tell?”
“I’m good at those sorts of things.”
“You’re a smart girl.”
“Thank you.”-She nodded at the woman- “So, will you accept?”
“Perhaps…”
“You will be paid fairly.”
“How fairly?”
“22000 yen for the selections and 890 an hour for setting it up.”
“Wow, that’s very fair.”
“Then you agree?”
“Alright. What should I do?”
“Select the decorations. The dance is formal and the entertainment is pending, there is nothing specific for style or colors, so you have plenty of room for creativity. And I will need you to hold everything until the council calls you.”
Kiyoko took a clear folder out of her bag and handed it to her.
“This has everything we discussed. There are also pictures of the place chosen to host the dance and any measurements I was able to get. The address and other various phone numbers pertaining to the dance is there as well, incase you need to be at the site in person or have any questions. You have two and a half months.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you.”
Kiyoko smiled at the young woman and turned to leave, her black hair swinging behind her with every evenly placed step she made. The young woman watched Kiyoko silently leave.
“…Interesting girl.”
She went back to her work, already thinking of new ideas; an anxious feeling inside her.
- - - - - ---------- - - - - -
“You called earlier?”
“I did.”
Kiyoko had arrived at the record company only just a few minutes ago. She had been led to a large room with a small coffee table and two padded chairs; a large window brought light into the huge space. The man sitting before her was a little stout, but not in a grotesque manner. He had rather large eyes behind a small pair of black rimmed glasses and a small black ponytail streaked with grey resting low on his head of thinning hair.
He sat in one seat, Kiyoko in the other; the coffee table between them.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how were you even able to get this number, let alone arrange a meeting?”
“I don’t mind you asking, but I also won’t answer.”
“Right…well then”-he cleared his throat-“what is it you wish to discuss?”
“I would like Satome Kitoyi to be the entertainment for my school’s dance.”
He chuckled. “Do you realize how common a question that is?”
“I do, but I have little choice. I was involuntarily made the student council rep for my class year. This is the job I was given.”
“Ah, I see.”
“So might we discuss my proposal?”
“I may agree, but Satome needs to as well. And he doesn’t really do these types of jobs very often.”
“Then I suppose I should speak with him.”
“That may be difficult. You see…”
“Taiyo, did you get my…”
“Oh Satome,”-Taiyo cut him off- “we were just discussing you.”
“About something good I hope.”
“Yes, this young lady has requested you for the entertainment at her school’s dance.”
“Really? And what did you say?”
“Well, I didn’t technically say anything about it either way, but I did explain that if it was ok with me, it would have to be approved by you.”
“Ok then. May I speak with her now, Taiyo?”
“Of course, I’ll be in the other room.”
Taiyo left through the same door Satome entered. During all this, Kiyoko felt very invisible, but materialized a little as Satome sat down in front of her, his wild orange-red hair spiked up on his head, but led you to his dark blue eyes.
“So, why me?”
“That’s obvious. You’re one of the most popular singers, and I don’t mind your music.”
“Why should that matter?”
“I would like to do well with this, so a top performer is best. Plus since I was forced into this job, I believe I’m entitled to a little opinion with my choice.”
“I see. And what is this job of yours?”
He had leaned back in the chair, showing he was relaxed.
“The 1st year student council class representative or the Vice President, whichever you prefer. To be honest, I think the whole idea to be stupid, despite its organization.”
“Really? I was on the student council my first year as well.”
“Interesting. And what year would or are you now?”
“Third year, but I can’t believe you’re a first year. You look older and seem very smart.”
“I am a first year by age, however not by intelligence. I have been offered many applications to various prestigious colleges and universities. Once I was even offered a job at the large medical lab that oversees most hospitals here.”
“Why didn’t you accept?”
“There is no reason to push through life.”
“Right. So then, what? You’re some sort of genius.”
“Yes, I am.”
Satome had tilted forward in his chair towards her, an interested expression on his face.
“Hmm…I’m satisfied.”
Kiyoko’s eyebrows drew down into a perplexed expression.
“With what, exactly?”
Satome started to stand.
“Oh, nothing. Anyway, I’ll be there.”
“But I’ve said nothing about it.”
“Just leave the information with Taiyo.”
“…Ok.”
“Just make sure you’re there.”
“I will be there whether I like it or not.”
“A student council thing?”
“Afraid so.”
“Ok, see you then.”
“Yeah…you too.”
He left the room.
Kiyoko smiled, he was a sly flirt, but one nonetheless. She removed another clear folder from her bag and placed it on the table, near Taiyo’s forgotten coffee.
“At least he’s cute.”
Kiyoko turned to the door, as she was heading to leave the window blew open. She quickly looked back and came face to chest with a very tall man. She wondered why she kept running into awkward situations like this recently.
“Who are you?”
“Who I am is not important, but who you are is.”
“Me? How am I relevant?”
“You are far more important that you realize.”
“And how is that?”
“I’m not to tell you anything, only that the time for you is approaching. Be aware.”
“What do you mean?”
“I cannot say.”
“What can you say?” She put her hands on her hips, an annoyed pout started to appear at the edge of her mouth.
The man already turned for the window, nearly ready to leap out. He looked back, showing a slightly half downcast profile.
“You are missed.”
Then he was gone, vanishing with a flash, almost like he dissolved into light. Kiyoko just stood there.
“I’m…missed?”
A tear escaped her as she pondered the words the strange man had spoken. She didn’t know why, but it seemed familiar and loving, while also a little sad. Kiyoko enjoyed it.
The sun shone brightly overhead as the thin wisps of clouds inched slowly through the blue morning sky. The grass bended with the breeze and the trees rustled lightly.
Roiyaru had been sitting under the large cherry blossom tree in the courtyard garden for hours, the letter clutched in his fist, his other hand resolutely resting in his lap.
This wasn’t right, she was supposed to be there….to be with him…to be smiling.
Roiyaru’s grasp tightened marginally before he released the wrinkled paper. He opened the letter again, possibly the thirtieth time he had done so. He squinted from the glare of the white stationary as the sun reached its zenith.
There they were, the cruel letters, the articulate style, everything he wanted to see and read was etched there…mocking him. Roiyaru knew the letter was simply saying she would be gone for an extended period of time and be back someday. But this felt like a goodbye and goodbye was so permanent and out of reach.
Roiyaru leaned his head against the tree and shut his eyes. The Forgotten Charm. Only one has ever been able to return from it and he was incredibly powerful. Ookawa knew the risks, right? Of course she did. She had too.
Roiyaru held the paper tightly under his shaking fingers. The distracting glare had vanished and the letters shown clearly, still brilliant and delicate despite being furrowed. He smoothed the paper and began reading the letter again.
~Rio…
I am sure you are quite uncertain as to my whereabouts and have many questions regarding my sudden absence. I will tell you everything I can in this letter and hopefully you will understand, if not then please accept my apologies in advance.
First, I must state with dire importance, how much I love you. I almost did not go on with my plans because of how much I do and my heart will always ache from this very difficult decision. Sadly though, due to my choice, our planned marriage is no more. However, I am sure I will be back someday. But until then I shall eagerly await your comforting smile.
To begin with the explanation of my actions and situation, you should know that I am technically in this room. I have concealed myself and my few belongings, to initiate the process. By such words, I mean to say I have begun performing The Forgotten Charm.
You, being of royal blood and a high education, should know what this entails. I will tell you my plans in association with the charm, as well as why I was led to perform it at such a time within the current events.
The trials have been grueling and are steadily exhausting me, body and mind. Because of this deterioration, I decided, after much thought, to begin preparations for the charm. During my few peaceful weeks of freedom, I started arranging my new life and everyone else’s. This, of course, means that after the fifty year period in which the re-construction occurs, I shall awaken on Earth as someone else. That, I am sure, you know. Yet, you do not and will not know where I have gone.
While I know you will want to see me, I fear your presence may untangle the traps on my mind and cause me to remember. I can not recall anything until I am needed. So, in preparation for this, I have set up a plan a head of time. These steps will be activated once I appear on Earth and set in motion when the time comes. If you have any further questions, Myto has been instructed to answer, nonetheless, only certain ones.
Wait for me, remember me. I may have left, but I don’t want to be forgotten.
Love Forever,
Ookawa
Roiyaru ran his finger lightly over her name. How could he go on without her? Why did she think she could ask him not to find her?
He brought his hand to his head, eyes shut in frustration. How could he find her? Ookawa must have done something cunning and complicated to keep herself hidden. Roiyaru ran through dozens of possible options and ideas, anything she may have thought of.
“Wait. If she did do some type of un-breachable blockade, then surely Myto knows it.”
Roiyaru sat up straight, coming off the trunk of the tree.
“Yes. He would have helped her with the set up. Now I just have to access him…”
Roiyaru slouched, his forehead resting on his knee. He just needed to remember, back when Ookawa was designing him…what did she say?
“There was something. She used, like a new technology she had created. What was it?”
Roiyaru shut his eyes again and tried to remember.
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
“What are you showing me?” Rio asked with a confused expression across his features.
“Remember? I have been designing myself a bodyguard for the past year.”
“Oh, right.”
Ookawa led Roiyaru over to a large bed with what appeared to be a sleeping man. He looked young, maybe 17 or 18 in human years. His hair was white and his skin a smooth tan.
Ookawa noticed the sudden change from shock to uncertainty in Rio’s eyes.
“Strange is it not? His hair is white, as expected; however his skin is tan instead of pale. That is, with the exception of that small pale mark under his left eye. There should be very little pigment, other than what I gave him. He also has pale blue eyes. I worked tirelessly on them for a month alone; I do believe they came out rather well, as has everything else.”
She smiled down at the man and back up at Roiyaru.
“Would you like to see some of the devices for his internal functions?”
Roiyaru didn’t really want to, but smiled at her and nodded. She smiled back and directed him to a key pad on a wall in the back of the room. Ookawa raised her hand and placed it over the key pad and closed her eyes. It was like she was scanning her hand, not entering a code.
Suddenly, her hand blazed with various elements coming and going, displaying an arrangement of soft glows and bright flashes. A clear light and wind shot up beneath her, her black hair flaring rapidly in every direction, and then everything slowed. Her hair waved and swirled as it did before only not nearly as fast. Quickly her eyes opened, they were white and lustrous and she began speaking some sort of incantation.
Everything continued moving slowly as she spoke, then burst. Her hand was brought out to her side; the mixture of colors that surrounded her blew out through the room.
Roiyaru instinctively lifted his arms in front of his face. Nothing hit him, so he looked out. There were objects moving unhurried through the air until they started flying about again, hitting walls and other items. A type of barrier was surrounding him and the bed with the man on it. She was protecting them. Roiyaru felt bad for making her waste energy to keep his well being, but it was amazing to watch her.
As she continued reciting, even faster than earlier, markings were weaving there way over her body, dark blue and pulsing. Another spark of light hit her, blowing around her hair and everything dropped back to normal. Anything that had been broken or dented was fixed and replaced in its original location.
The barricade around Roiyaru was now gone, but Ookawa’s eyes had closed once more and she was still moving her lips. Small colored sparks came out from her hands and began forming the door. It almost appeared to be a painting, until it fell to the floor like water.
Ookawa lifted her hand and turned to him with a smile. The intricate designs on her skin were still luminescent and continued to radiate some strange warmth. He could feel her body pulsing lightly; it was as though he were caught in a trance.
She looked very beautiful; her hair sustained a little hovering motion, despite her ritual being over. Gazing upon her was so soothing. He had never really noticed before, how strong and delicate she was.
“Come on.”
Rio shook his head, trying to dislodge any nonsense, so he could answer without her noticing his abnormal thought pattern.
“I can’t believe that took so long.” Rio said as the once holed wall built itself back up with clumps of earth. Thankfully, his voice didn’t reveal his secret.
“It may have taken long, but it is impossible to break into this room. The code alone is complex enough, it also deactivates if the hand is lifted before the entire sequence is entered. So, to put it simply, one must have an incredible memory as well as elemental power to even have a chance to perform the ceremony accurately.
“Plus, every element must be channeled from the same host. The entire system will deactivate and shut down temporarily if the hand is even lifted one millionth of an inch off the key pad. Meaning, no dead or living being can enter this room. Only I can. Plus most would assume, because I used a keypad, that there was a specific numeric order or cryptogram.” She giggled.
“That was simple?”
Ookawa stopped her little laugh and shot him a gentle glare. Roiyaru coughed nervously in a misguided attempt to veer away from his recent response. The further he pursued, the more likely it was for him never to return, at least not alive or mentally sound. This thought gave him a somewhat devious inner humor as he prepared to retort.
“Well, what about your bodyguard?” Roiyaru spoke mockingly as he asked. Her comforting warmth and throbbing body patterns now began dispersing while they stood in the dimly lit room.
Ookawa bypassed his rude and childish gesture, before rolling her eyes and answering.
“Myto cannot channel any element since he is artificial, although he does have abnormal strength and skill.”
“Myto…?”
“Yes. That is his name.”
“It’s weird.”
“I think it is unique.”
“Oh, yeah. Unique…”
Ookawa ignored the sarcasm in his voice and began leading Roiyaru over to a small wooden desk with a lamp set on the corner of the carven structure. The room seemed small and black, only containing the desk, back against what must be a wall. However considering Ookawa was, by nature, a secretive and private person, everything was most likely hidden and only appeared as she wished.
Roiyaru thought he could almost see a gleeful bounce in her step as she walked and stopped before the cherry stained desk.
“Here, this is my best and favorite part of Myto’s repair devices.”
She picked up a little black box sitting a top some papers. Gently, she held the box while opening the lid. There was a small flash before Roiyaru was able to see the contents.
“Are those…contacts?” Rio asked once the cover had been removed, revealing a pair of clear contacts resting on a piece of…something.
“What’re they put on?” He asked somewhat stupidly.
“Oh, it is a special type of metal I created. Basically it helps keep the contacts clean and in check. I am afraid I cannot tell you anymore. This, as well as most everything in this room, is confidential.”
She smiled proudly, then placed a delicate finger against one lens and brought it to her eye.
“You see, these contacts allow me to view Myto’s internal structure, like an X-ray, only I can zoom in and out and the room around is not present at all. This way, I can make repairs using my tools, which are specially made for the technology. I suppose it’s similar to virtual reality, but real.”
Roiyaru nodded. He understood how she described their purpose, but not their function. She’d probably talk circles around him if he asked.
Roiyaru’s smile waned slightly at the thought of her explanations constantly swarming his mind and stabbing every little bit of comprehension ability he had.
Roiyaru twitched.
“Rio, is something wrong?” Ookawa sincerely directed towards him, with her right eye glazed over as if she were blind.
“Nothing. Hey Ookawa, since…Myto is artificial, will he act strangely?”
Ookawa blinked at the rapid change of subject. Sighing, she removed the contact and placed it back on the metal within the box.
“I am not entirely sure. He should be as natural as you or I. The difference between living and artificial, in his case, will be nearly impossible, if not entirely, to detect. Although, since I have obviously not activated him and cannot predict the future, there is no way to say for certain.”
“Hmmm…” Roiyaru looked away from Ookawa, his eyes downcast.
“Rio? Are you sure nothing is bothering you? I am your friend, you can tell me.” She placed her hand on Roiyaru’s shoulder.
“I’m fine. I should leave though.” Roiyaru seemed upset, it was not necessarily anger, but similar to an uncomfortable frustration.
“Oh right, you have classes. I am sorry for keeping you.” Ookawa walked over to the wall and placed her hands apart evenly. She closed her eyes and began mouthing words; the code was different; not nearly as elaborate as the first and much shorter. Her hands shone fiercely again, with flashes of color and even temperature.
Small sparks came away from her hands and hit the wall in various places, creating small slits where ever they landed. The slits soon became a door that dissolved away, behind it, the room appeared. Roiyaru stepped out after Ookawa and headed to leave, waving somewhat with a small fake smile. Ookawa stood by Myto and waved back half-heartedly as the door of the room closed, followed by the one to her apartment.
She sighed. Rio had been acting somewhat ‘off’ lately, especially when she discussed Myto or their friendship.
“Myto…” she said while turning toward the sleeping android and sat down on the bed near his shoulders.
“When you wake up, will you always be my friend?”
A tear slide down her cheek, as she pushed back a strand of his bangs and smiled down at him; giving her a better look at his kind face. The stray tear fell and landed on the young man lips, slipping down his chin.
“Oh, I am sorry. Let me clean that off.”
Ookawa started to stand and grab a tissue, when she felt something warm over her hand. She looked back over to find two pale blue eyes opened and watching her.
“How are you…?” Ookawa couldn’t even finish her sentence. Myto smiled at her with caring eyes and held her hand tighter, pulling her into an embrace.
“Of course I’ll be your friend, as long as you are always mine.” He held her close, stroking her long black hair as she clung even closer in reply.
She pulled back, running her hand through his hair and against the side of his handsome face. He was so warm; she could hardly believe he wasn’t real.
“But how are you awake? I have not even activated your systems nor completed your circulatory programming. Your motor skills are not set up either, so you cannot walk yet. You should not even be able to move or talk at all. This is all so strange.”
He continued smiling at her.
“That’s all right, I can wait.”
“I will do it now. It may take me all night, but you shall be finished and able to walk tomorrow. I promise.”
“Alright, then I will keep you company as you work.”
“But I gave you the ability to recognize sensation and emotion…this could be painful in many ways.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Ookawa stroked his face again and smiled.
“Then I will prepare.”
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
Roiyaru remembered the strange contacts Ookawa had shown him.
“I may remember them, but I left before she said how they worked. Besides, I can’t enter that room.” Roiyaru lifted his head; eyes open to the vivid sky.
“And there’s no way I could access Myto anyway.” Sighing inwardly, Roiyaru stood up, the letter still in his hand and began walking back to Ookawa’s home.
“Maybe Myto can help me with my sanity.”
He had been talking to himself a lot lately, even more after reading Ookawa’s letter.
Roiyaru continued down the path when a white glare caught his eye. Myto was standing by the gate of the courtyard. His black jacket’s aqua lining glimmered as the wind blew the fabric. Roiyaru stopped next to Myto, who was at least a good two or three inches taller and the two caught each others glance.
“Roiyaru, do you have any questions now?”
“Not really. Any I have, you can’t answer.”
Myto looked away from Roiyaru and over at the top of the cherry blossom tree protruding over the hill in the courtyard. It was Ookawa’s favorite place to go. Sometimes he thought he could still hear her sing as her hair flowed with the breeze.
“Don’t worry, she will come back someday.”
Roiyaru drew his gaze away from Myto and over to the tree and smiled.
“Yes, I think she will.”
The two men stared at the tree in the cool wind. Each wore something Ookawa had made them. Myto had a long black coat with aqua lining on the edges of the collar, cuffs, and bottom, and then on the back there was a symbol. It was similar to the main design on Ookawa when she worked with elements. Two curving lines swirled around each other in the center and broke out into weaving patterns; the mark was almost her way of saying Myto was hers. He had worn it ever since she gave it to him, nearly 200 years ago.
Roiyaru also had a jacket, but not exactly the same. It was long, though not as long as Myto’s and had the same lining; there was also a design related to the one on the back of Myto’s coat, but it was a little smaller and on his left shoulder. She purposely had it put over his scar, however she never told him why.
The design was also aqua colored, but the two curving lines that swirled around each other, came back together after coming out into its woven pattern. Both articles reminded them of her, the black was of her silken hair and the aqua, her mesmerizing eyes. The inside of each had a white silk lining; they later assumed it was to remind them of her usual white clothing and ribbons.
Ookawa left so much behind, without even doing so.
Roiyaru folded the note and placed it in his right pocket, and felt something smooth. He pulled out a ribbon; it was one of Ookawa’s. He remembered she had lost it earlier that week and he was going to return it to her when they saw each other.
Roiyaru reached for the end of his long braid and removed the old hair tie, replacing it with her ribbon. Myto watched as he did so from the corner of his eye and smiled.
Everything was working out well, if only she could see just how well. If only she knew how much she would be remembered...if only.
The wind blew the cherry blossom petals about and flew past the black fabric and long hair.
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
“AH-CHOO!” Kiyoko covered her mouth for the fifteenth time today.
“Kiyoko, are you sick?” Mikomi asked her friend as they were leaving school.
“No. I feel fine…I don’t even have allergies!” Kiyoko gestured widely, trying to express her frustration.
“Maybe someone’s talking about you?” Kokoro stuck in her opinion after hurriedly catching up to them in time to hear the conversation.
“Yeah right!” Kiyoko rolled her eyes and laughed.
“Well, you never know. Somewhere there could be two guys talking about you.” Kokoro smiled at the thought.
Kiyoko looked up at the clear sky, entertaining the idea, then, briefly shoving it aside, starting a new conversation. The three girls continued on from school, laughing as they walked. Kiyoko, although laughing, still thought. She felt like she had been on the verge of remembering something. Nothing necessarily important, but it felt nice and she couldn’t help but smile as the wind blew her long black hair with her white ribbons dancing along with the shining tresses.
Roiyaru, if truth be told, loathed politics far more than one who would soon take rule over an entire world should. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to rule, he just hated the process through which he had to work to get there. However he had always taken great pleasure in his sparing classes, they helped him to better control his strength plus she always came to watch him. While when he was stuck in a class that seemed to drone on without end she could never come.
Roiyaru sat back in his chair hoping when this was over she would be waiting for him out in the courtyard by the cherry blossom tree.
She would most likely be standing in her usual pose with her hands held behind her back looking up into the sky. Her eyes always seemed to be searching or contemplating some difficult theorem, to be honest, Roiyaru was never able to read her like she could him. But she would always come, her hair would gently rise and fall with the breeze and her smile would be brighter than ever.
Yet he knew she wouldn’t be there, not this time.
Ever since the trials started she could never come and wait for him like she once did. Actually he had to attend another abhorrent trial today; even so he found thinking of her calmed him.
It was then Roiyaru felt as though he was wandering into sleep, which all things considered, was probably not the best course of action, but he didn’t care. Roiyaru wanted to dream and see her face bright and happy, always laughing even when something wasn’t all that funny to begin with. Then he fell.
- - - ------- - - -
“Rio, come on! You are so slow, are you actually going to let a girl beat you?”
Ookawa always challenged him to a race up the hill and over to the courtyard after his classes were over. She thought it was funny to watch him struggle to keep up with her quick pace. Roiyaru always lost to her even after he began his battle training, she was just so darn fast.
He kept pushing forward but as he went on his vision began to blur and Ookawa’s steadily running figure started to disappear as his eyes fell closed and he toppled forward.
“Rio?!”
Ookawa ran back to find Roiyaru had fallen down in exhaustion. Unfortunately he now had his sparing classes last, leaving him out of breath and tired everyday.
“I’m ok,” he said sitting up slowly and giving her a reassuring smile. Obviously she never believed him, and sat down beside him glaring straight into his eyes with an accusing look.
“Rio, you are being far too sluggish now a days. Did your father change the time for your warfare classes? You know, if that is the case I can just wait for you under Sakura instead of competing with you.” She smiled at him, evidently showing her pride in deducting his dilemma correctly.
“How do you always seem to guess what my problems are? It’s like you can read my face or something!”
“Of course I can not read your face that is pure futility. I merely observe your current state of being and make an educated guess as to what is ailing you.” Ookawa stated to him directly then sat up straight to cross her arms.
She never seemed to understand things unless they were said accurately; it was one aspect Roiyaru always found interesting about her.
“Yes you’re right; you can’t actually read my face.” He chuckled a little and observed as her eyes watched him; then smiled, noting that she had apparently won.
“So we can meet under Sakura, ok?” She had leaned forward again and had almost a puppy like expression waiting for his answer.
“Who’s Sakura?”
Ookawa could see the bewilderment hidden in his blue eyes. She really loved his eyes they always looked so warm and kind, complimenting his glossy blonde hair. She continued to look on at his handsome face when she realized she had forgotten to answer Rio.
“What did you say?” she asked him with her usual gleeful voice.
As far as Roiyaru could tell, she had been messing with him or daydreaming, both were plausible though quite rare in her case. He never could see what she was thinking and as for what was going on with her sudden pause and loss of thought completely escaped him.
“I asked, who’s Sakura?”
“Not who, what. Sakura is the name I gave the large cherry blossom tree in the courtyard garden. It just seemed appropriate, do you not agree?”
“No it’s fine to name a tree…just unexpected.”
She sighed in frustration.
“I am not referring to the fact of naming a tree that is appropriate but the name of said tree. Sakura is a Japanese word meaning cherry blossom and it seemed only fitting to entitle the cherry blossom tree with it. I do not see what is so hard to understand about that,” she huffed.
It did make sense though Roiyaru would never have thought about it that way. Even though Ookawa’s general nature was odd enough, it was more so what she did that was worthy of being strange. Just having a conversation with her could send your head into never ending loops of confusion, let alone trying to figure out her train of thought.
She continued giving him a searching glare.
“We’ll meet under the tree then?”
Her question pulled Roiyaru out of his short reverie and he realized that he had yet to answer her initial inquiry.
“Oh, sure. I don’t mind meeting there instead.”
Her eyes lit up as a smile stretched across her face and she lunged forward to give him a big hug. For Roiyaru this was a real treat, bearing in mind Ookawa rarely gave any physical contact, he found her embrace to be far more comforting than expected.
“Under Sakura…” she whispered and Roiyaru nodded in agreement as they sat on the lush grass, holding each other as if time stood still.
- - - ------- - - -
Ever since that day she has always waited for him beneath that tree. She would look so peaceful, so beautiful, so innocent…in fact she looked very unlike her.
In truth she was beautiful, probably the most beautiful he had ever seen, and she was innocent, technically, but she never had the naïve innocence that so many of the girls at their school did.
Ookawa had forever been incredibly smart and experienced in almost any kind of thing you could possibly think of. But she wasn’t very sociable around her classmates or anyone even; appearing bored in every activity, and there was nothing that could dissuade her from that state. Except each day under that tree she would smile and be bright…for him only. Their meetings were secret, lasting until the orange sun hovered in the west with the hazy evening drifting into night.
Roiyaru found that she was very different from her usual persona especially when she laughed. She looked as if she glowed when he was with her, while during classes he was told she appeared as lifeless as one ever could. It made him inwardly smile knowing she was entirely herself when she was with him.
- - - ------- - - -
On a warm spring afternoon Roiyaru exited the dojo where he held his annual combat simulation practice, and was informed that his father wished to speak with him.
He knew this must be important or bad…or importantly bad, either way he knew nothing good would come from this discussion. He headed down to his father’s chambers and told his guard he was here to speak with Shukensha, the twenty-fourth Chosen.
Roiyaru found having to say such a thing to address one’s own father was stupid but he knew only to well the punishment for thinking the rules didn’t apply to him merely because he was the son of the current ruler of Senkyou. He brought his hand to rest on his left arm where under his war attire hid the long scar he received from his father’s blade after rudely talking back to him in a rather heated argument during one of his first assembly gatherings.
Roiyaru never thought the incident had been nearly bad enough to merit a long gash on the arm, but his father was well…him. And to his father rules were to be strict and adhered to. Anyone who would dare violate these warranted an equally austere punishment, which he unfortunately learned the hard way.
*knock*
“Enter!”
“Sir, your son is here.”
“Good, good. Please send him in.”
“Of course.”
“You may enter now,” the tall guard said to Roiyaru after returning from his father’s room.
“Yeah, thanks.” He walked in and proceeded to close the door behind him, then turned to face his father, who was sitting in a large chair behind an old mahogany desk in the corner of the large room.
“Roiyaru,” the sound of his voice startled him slightly but he knew that was his cue to take a seat.
“I have been thinking about your future and the future of Senkyou. Soon you will reach your 15th and be in training to take over after me. So in preparation for this I have decided you need to take a wife.”
Roiyaru was traumatized. He had always known that this could happen, but after meeting Ookawa he never really stopped to think about it, plus he was so young!
“I know this may be surprising considering you are still young, but I am ill and will never recover from this unusual disease. Nonetheless I could never rule with it, therefore you will begin your training to gain control of Senkyou on the eve of your 15th after marrying your bride.”
“But…uhh….” He couldn’t wrap himself around this plan and despite all the many questions buzzing around in his head he couldn’t seem to find the words.
“I know this will be hard for you, but it is what’s best for Senkyou. Don’t worry about any of the arrangements, I will find your wife to be and the work to prepare the kingdom for this change. All you need do is concentrate on your studies.”
Roiyaru had nothing to say and no way of saying the nothing that couldn’t be said. It was like he had been drained of all thought and speech capabilities. This he did regard as rather funny despite the fact this occurrence was happening to him, but it caused a slight problem seeing as he had so many important unanswered questions.
“Go now, my son.”
Roiyaru lifted himself from the hard leather chair he had been seated in and headed for the huge double doors. Turning the handle he thought he must look so pale and ethereal right now as he perfunctorily left the chamber and headed out of the structure housing all the main assembly rooms.
Once out of the building he began to run straight to the garden, hoping her kind face and warm laugh would make everything go away. He knew logically that could not really happen, but he wanted to believe it could. He felt like crying, not that he would, this was just all occurring so fast! And worst of all it was the thing that would tear Ookawa from him…forever. That was defiantly not an option!
- - - ------- - - -
“Ookawa!” he yelled while running up the hill that led to the cherry blossom tree hidden deep within the emerald foliage of the courtyard garden.
She turned with grace, hair blowing slightly across her lovely features and if he didn’t know better, a questioning and concerned look in her large aqua eyes. She was so beautiful, so sweet he just didn’t know how to tell her.
“What is…”
She barely had time to get out her question before finding herself being pulled into an embrace so warm she could hardly think. Uncertain of what the circumstances were she decided it didn’t really matter at this moment since all she wanted was to stay this way; bringing her hands up around him she leaned closer into his body, returning his embrace with her own.
“Ookawa…my father…” he uttered, suddenly drawing her closer into him, hoping he could bring her so far in they could never be drawn apart.
Her eyes widened when she heard him begin to stumble over words, whatever it was he came to say it was bad enough to cause him to have difficulty speaking. He had done this before though his tone was different, not deep and calm but trembling and sad.
Pulling back slightly with her hair ribbons catching lightly on his thick haori, she looked into his eyes for an answer but found exactly what she didn’t want. His father had chosen something for Rio, something that would take him from her. Somewhere she couldn’t follow…something she knew she could never change.
“Rio, what is it?”
He didn’t answer and began stoking her hair gently and stared down into her face. Yet he wasn’t really looking at her, his eyes seemed to hold her in while keeping her so far away.
“Roiyaru, what has happened? What did he tell you?”
He knew she was either very upset or immensely concerned since she used his full name, instead of the epithet she typically used.
“My father has…has decided I will begin training to become ruler of Senkyou on my 15th…”
Ookawa was slightly puzzled. That hadn’t sounded that bad really…why could he be so upset over such a thing? He was young, except there had been young rulers before. She figured there was something he hadn’t said, something much worse.
“And?”
He knew she would discern that there was something missing from his announcement, but he didn’t know how to say it.
“He…he has…decided to…UHH! I just can’t say it!”
Roiyaru had let go of her and spun around to sit despondently upon the cool lawn, cradling his head in his hands. He just didn’t, no couldn’t tell her…it would hurt her and that was something he truly didn’t want.
Ookawa’s eyes lowered into a worried and sad expression, one she very rarely wore. She watched him drop his head and knew he must be so unsure of what to say or what to do.
Opening her mouth, she had wanted to say something, anything to help him but all words escaped her. All she knew was this feeling deep within her gut, she didn’t understand it but she followed it.
He felt a warm hand settle on his shoulder and glanced over to see Ookawa sit down next to him and lean into his side resting her head against him. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. Coming closer to his face she inclined her head a little and kissed him softly on the lips. Roiyaru hadn’t been expecting this turn of events at all. Knowing her, he thought he would have been yelled at by now since she usually was very impatient about situations like this.
Ookawa drew back slightly and whispered to him, “you do not have to tell me until you are ready.”
After her perplexing statement she smiled again and leaned back against him. Roiyaru didn’t quite understand what was going on but he held her in return, and they stared up at the darkening orange sky as the sun set on another day.
“Whatever the problem is I will always be here for you, under the Sakura tree.”
After saying this, her eyes flickered shut and he just held her close staring on at the falling sun.
- - - ------- - - -
It had been fifty years since that night when he couldn’t tell her. And his father had chosen a girl from his school named Kisoku, she was nice but he didn’t want her.
Occasionally he would go to the tree in the garden of the courtyard and she would be there smiling with her natural warmth. However his studies kept him from going to her and he missed her touch and her tenderness when she would speak to him…he missed everything she had reserved for him.
Roiyaru had stayed late after his last class and the sun had now been setting as it used to when they were together, but now he never had time. Though she probably forgot about him, it had been decades since he was even able to go to the tree, let alone speak with her. The sun was now exactly half way down and he had been heading out across the empty paths of the grounds when he heard something.
He stopped and listened, someone was singing and it sounded sad. Unsure of whom it was he set down his things and began to follow the beautiful voice. Roiyaru hadn’t really been paying attention to where he was walking and found himself in the garden of the courtyard, a place he hadn’t set foot on for nearly forty years.
Pushing past a bush he found the person singing the sad song, it was a young woman. She was standing under the cherry blossom tree looking into the sunset and crying. Her small tears were caught in the wind as well as her long black hair and the long, white ribbons held in it. Then the girl turned somewhat in a graceful manner and he suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia as he watched her. She reminded him of a girl he used to meet here…she had the same graceful movements, the ones that gave her a look as though she may be walking on air. That’s when he saw her face, it was that girl…it was Ookawa.
Roiyaru was stunned. She was doing things that were so very uncharacteristic of her, in fact he didn’t even know she could sing so beautifully or ever cry.
Her tears shimmered in the now moon lit sky and her black hair shown brilliantly as it danced in the breeze. Her lips moved delicately to the word flow and her eyes were closed but when she would open them he felt as though they were peering into his soul.
He had never seen a more stunning sight until he become conscious of the fact that although its beauty was mesmerizing he had caused it. But why was she here? Then he remembered her last words to him.
“Whatever the problem is I will always be here for you, under the Sakura tree.”
He couldn’t believe that she had been coming here everyday for the last fifty years just waiting for him. So he decided that he would come back again to see if she would be here.
Presently the next day, Roiyaru had stayed late again. He packed his few things and set them outside the entrance to the dojo and began heading towards the garden. It wasn’t quite as late like it had been the night before, though he didn’t think it mattered.
As he arrived at the spot he stood in previously, he saw she was there sitting under the tree. She was watching the sun set…alone. When the sun was in the exact position as before he gazed at her as she gracefully stood and walked forward a few paces, then began to sing. The song was different but the feeling he saw in her and felt in himself was the same. The sadness flowing from her body was enormous, where a few minutes ago he could have sworn she was smiling a little.
He continued this same process for the next few weeks and found that she came everyday and when the sun set exactly halfway she would begin to sing and every time she sang a different song.
It had been three weeks since he started watching her. And recognized just how much he had missed her and wanted her back. So he had to choose which difficult task to accomplish first, telling his father he will not comply with the arranged marriage; or speak with Ookawa again. He opted for his father first, this way when he went to her he could say how he feels without guilt.
- - - ------- - - -
After a rather unnecessary argument with his father’s guard, Roiyaru was finally able to enter and broke through the doors without bothering to close them.
“Father!”
“Yes Roiyaru, what is your reason for bursting into my chambers unannounced?”
“I wish to ask you something of severe importance.”
“Ok. What is this strictly significant thing you feel compelled to ask so late in the day?”
Roiyaru forcefully swallowed the lump in his throat. “….May I choose another woman for my bride?!”
Directly after saying this, rather loudly in fact, he bowed before his father, waiting to be reprimanded for his recent actions. When nothing happened Roiyaru opened his eyes and looked up to find his father with a smile from corner to corner. Taken aback he asked the only things he could think to ask in this bizarre predicament:
“What?!”
Roiyaru received a hearty laugh from his father before he answered his befuddled inquiry.
“Took you long enough!”
“Huh!” He was now so confused nothing could smack him back to normal.
“Can’t you at least come up with a decent reply when you’re shocked by something?”
“Pardon me…this is just a little shock-ING! What do you mean by ‘took you long enough’?”
“Son, I know you have found someone. I was simply waiting for you to realize how special this person really was to you.”
“So this was like a test?”
“You could look at it that way. Now calm down and don’t worry, you still have fifty years until your 15th. Enjoy it.”
“Ok, thank you father.” Roiyaru exhaled a breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding.
“Yes, now go on and tell her!”
Roiyaru had already run through the open doors and down the hall. Once he departed the building he started for the garden. The sky was dark with glimmering stars over head by the time he got to the Sakura tree. She was just sitting there staring up at the stars with her aqua eyes still shining from the recently shed tears.
Ookawa felt better after she sang, like she was letting out her feelings through the lyrics. She knew singing could never heal her aching heart, but at least it help her cope with everything. Love was a new fixation to her… she wished she could have learned more of it and him.
Inhaling deeply she smiled while remembering her last moment with Roiyaru. She missed him, his warm embrace, and the way he let her be herself around him. That’s when she found a pair of strong arms drape around her, holding her close. She turned in her seat to find him there looking into her eyes with his own. She inadvertently let a tear fall as she smiled at him and tilted up to kiss him.
He remembered her lips. They were soft and gentle; he wondered how he lived on without her with him. When they drew apart he looked at her again before he spoke.
“Ookawa, I’m sorry I never came back.” He held her small face in his hand and wiped the lone tear from her eye.
“It is alright. I discovered what happened a long time ago.”
“You did?” He guessed he should have expected that.
“Yes. I knew you were having trouble, but I still came here. Just in case.”
“I wish I had come to you earlier.”
“You still came.”
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
Roiyaru, still fast asleep on his desk, smiled and continued to dream of the past. He would see her again soon, because today he had clandestinely arranged a special surprise. After fifty years of trials they could be together again.
“Ookawa…” he whispered.
WARNING!! : I know this chapter may be a bit overwhelming for some, and that it also contains a lot of information. I hope that doesn’t hinder your decision about the rest of the story. It gets better. When I write I tend to mention some more info in the first chapter or so, but dialogue grows. DON’T GET DISCOURAGED! Please, it’s really much more interesting later.
Thanks.
-Itsumademo
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
“Are you sure about this?” Myto questioned his best friend softly, placing the ancient stone in her hands.
Ookawa gently nestled the necklace making sure the charm placed on the walls and doors was doing its job efficiently. No one needed to eavesdrop on their last conversation.
“Yes. I need to get out of this place…even if I was found innocent; there is no possible way I would be respected anymore. I need to leave…” she looked down at her bare feet then turned back up to gaze into his pale blue eyes “…I will miss you greatly Myto…” a tear escaping her aqua colored eyes stained her elegant gown.
“Respect? Ookawa, I wish you wouldn’t seem so reserved. We both know you’re not afraid of some dumb respect problem.”
He really hated it when she noticeably avoided her true feelings towards something. He knew she was scared of herself.
Myto wrapped his arms around Ookawa embracing her tightly. She had been weakening ever since this stupid trial began and everything was collapsing around her.
- - - ------- - - -
The Blade of Infinite Power was a sword that gave its wielder the power to control the worlds. However no one could be simply given this authority, so the Goddesses of Elements and Chaos bound the blade to the fisher of time between Senkyou and Earth. This conclusion had been made because of the horrific outcome of The War of Beginnings.
The war had erupted some seven thousand years after Senkyou’s creation, due to an erratic surge and plunge in power. The Blade was being relentlessly claimed by a myriad of beings seeking more control. So they hide the blade from any who could use it.
Time was an element that had never been or could ever be mastered. Only Gods and Goddess’s controlled it, but on rare occasion someone came who had been given this power. History records three known individuals who have ever grasped Time.
Tourin, a Kouken-Tamira from eighty-nine thousand years ago, appeared in Senkyou during a time of rebirth. However he returned to his own time after a mere ten years and never returned; it was assumed he had perished in The War of Beginnings, which had later been revealed to be his true time period.
Matsuro, a Drutai Mage from forty-five thousand years ago, emerged in Senkyou only to wreak havoc on every town he stumbled upon in search of more power. When the devastation had subsided the Kouken assumed Matsuro had either died or returned to his own time period.
Hitotsu, an unusually powerful Tamira, came into view of the rulers of Senkyou in the times after The War of Beginnings. Hitotsu would have been a Kouken-Tamira if it were not for the fact that they had yet to be created. He later became known as The First Chosen and initiator of the Kouken or Guardian.
The Kouken consisted of any Tamira that could control an element, which was rare throughout the Tamira. They would be apprenticed by a master and dedicate their lives to the protection of The Chosen and The Blade of Infinite Power. However during the reign of the twenty-fourth Chosen named Shukensha, the Blade vanished from the fisher and Time itself.
It’s been 100 years since the Blade vanished. Fifteen Kouken have been executed for treason, thirteen have been imprisoned for suspicion of involvement and await their trials, and three have been accused of not only conspiring against The Chosen, but designing the plans for and doing the action of stealing the Blade of Infinite Power.
Ookawa had been one of those three.
She was not only unusual in appearance, but also one of the most powerful Kouken ever to exist. She has endured fifty years of trials with ease, but is now drained of the will to continue on. She had no true proof that she didn’t steal the Blade, and was frightened of what she might have to or will do next. So she designed a plan to escape not only the cell she was confined to, but her life in general.
Ookawa had decided to reconstruct a new life for herself…one where she wasn’t inconvenienced with protecting things or researching new projects or just being in her muddled life. Myto knew all this, not because she had discussed the arrangement in detail with him in advance, but since it was written all over her face when she looked at him. She was worn-out and her vivid aqua eyes no longer held the same carefree expression they once had fifty years ago. So he agreed to let her go, forever.
- - - ------- - - -
“I should begin…” she whispered into his ear.
Myto unwillingly released her and she stepped back to look into his face. She was trying so hard to prove she was just fine, but he knew she was faking the contentment displayed by her small smile.
“I do not want to leave you either. But I should begin, the reconstruction will take about 50 years to complete. And besides, Roiyaru is expecting your presence at today’s trial…you should not disappoint him.”
She placed her hands on the side of his face, smiling warmly at him…one last time. Afterward, Ookawa turned and walked to the circle she had made on the smooth floor and seated herself with the pendant held openly in her palms and closed her eyes.
Myto couldn’t believe this would be the last time he saw her smile, or her beautiful eyes, or…her.
“Will I ever see you again?”
She didn’t even open her eyes to reply to his query just simply spoke the words.
“Goodbye…my friend.”
Myto would not have let her begin with an answer like that, if it were not for the true smile she had on her face. He knew what she was saying; he knew that someday their paths would cross again.
The walls started to vibrate slightly, however no one would notice. Ookawa had designed him to pick up such things when she had created him two hundred years ago. He was her guardian after all.
The charms that had once been placed to merely sound proof the room were now fulfilling there true purpose. Eventually the room began to reconstruct its appearance, removing Ookawa and whatever things she may have had with her, all that was left remaining was a vacant room.
Myto had at this time turned around and started heading for the door. He knew she was still in the room, but her charms caused her to become untraceable. Although, he really wasn’t sure how comfortable he was leaving Ookawa in this space for 50 years, undetectable or not. But she had assured him that her plan would work and she would be absolutely fine.
- - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
Ookawa had only sat down when Myto asked her. She knew he would, but all she could do was smile and say her last farewell, before she began to conceal herself.
Even though she was now appearing as if her body was dissolving, she could still sense his hesitation in leaving the room. After a few more minutes, she detected his footfalls, he had left her and she was alone.
Holding the stone out plainly in her weak hands, Ookawa began reciting the incantation. Small shocks crept up her backbone and the forceful component pulsed through her body.
Energy, her favorite element to control.
She channeled the power to her brain and began working on her short term memory. Ookawa had already decided what she wanted to do, so she made sure not to screen that part of her memory until she had finished.
She reviewed the eight or nine memories stored in her short term memory then commenced the process. While scanning through the first remembrance; she had to be sure not to erase anything, just hide it using the artificial ones she creates and layers over them. Keeping this in mind she began working on changing every sensation to another then continued by altering what she heard, saw, spoke …everything.
Ookawa continued this same process for every sense in her short term memory. Once she was sure everything was concealed she started designing a memory around every feeling she had changed…every voice…and every face.
She knew that due to her weakened state everything she managed to alter would probably not take complete effect until a day or two after she had finished rebuilding. Fortunately she knew that her body would adapt quickly to her newly applied settings and send her into a comatose-like state for a few days.
- - - ------- - - -
It was an unnamed charm, except for its stamp as forbidden. There were very few who even knew the origins of memory reconstruction, other than its supposed difficulties. And to do a layering this complicated was an incredibly complex task to accomplish, even for the most skilled Kouken. But Ookawa was special…
Unlike normal Kouken-Tamira she could control every element, when it was doubtful a Kouken-Tamira could even have power over two. She also had an atypical appearance, with jet black hair and shining aqua eyes. Tamira simply had gray or white hair with pale blue or brown eyes and an occasional dark red coloring in the iris.
Plus, she was only seven hundred fifty years old and had already always been exceptionally gifted with knowledge and wisdom…words in particular. She knew what all things were and what every word meant, even when she had never learned it. Though when she attempted to match a definition to a word she had not been taught, she would often have difficulty placing it.
- - - ------- - - -
After shifting everything in her short term memory she made certain there were no lose ends that may possibly trigger her memories back. She tracked every passage and checked every nerve message in her cerebral cortex. Luckily all stimuli had successfully been screened and every nerve message reformed.
Now it was time for the long term memory. This chamber of the brain was where she knew she would end up using most of her skills. There was more work to do on the design intended for a new life of memories, not only for herself but also those of the people she would be in contact with.
Ookawa was still chanting the incantation effortlessly with her necklace helping to conduct the energy flow, when she began the hardest of the work for the next 50 years.
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
A large gust of freezing wind blew through the town street, rattling all the shutters and blasting through the trees. The rain pounded hard onto the concrete side walk, causing the young man to curse loudly, then attempt to shield his face from the icy cold.
“I can’t wait to get home and dry off! This weather is dreadful!” Ronin angrily muttered to himself through the scarf wrapped around his neck and mouth. When he noticed something…no someone lying in the middle of the road.
“What the…! Hey, are you ok! Hello!”
He ran to the side of the young woman in the road. Luckily for her the street here was no longer used due to construction that has never been completed, otherwise she would have easily been run over.
Ronin checked her pulse and could tell it was slow but steady. Gently he lifted her head onto his lap so she wouldn’t be completely on the cold, dirty road and draped his coat around her soaked body. He had never seen this girl before and assumed she must be new in town. He started to check the pockets of her jeans as politely as one could while trying to find some form of ID.
While inspecting her left pocket he felt a warm hand on his cheek. Ronin looked down to find himself staring straight into the face of what he could only register as an angel with a warm smile.
The angel, as he referred to her as, spoke in a placid and quite voice “My name is Kiyoko, I got lost two days ago and my family is probably worried. Please take me home”.
She smiled and her eyes fluttered shut. She had lost consciousness again.
Ronin had thought she answered rather properly and almost mechanically for someone who kept coming in and out of the world of the living or anyone in general, but overlooked this somewhat strange observation.
Unfortunately, the girl had failed to give him her address. So he made sure the coat was secure and proceeded to lift her up and take her to the police station, which was thankfully only a block from where they had been.
Ronin looked back down into her face as he headed toward the station. She was smiling. His train of thought began to wonder as he decided she must be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had long jet black hair and her aqua eyes were mesmerizing. However he did notice now that her clothes were actually a little odd. She appeared to be wearing old jeans and a light-weight short sleeved shirt. It’s winter! …but…she does look really pretty.
Nevertheless, Ronin didn’t have time to continue dwelling on his hormones, much to his disappointment, since they had now arrived at the doors of the police station.
He waited patiently for someone to come and help him, with Kiyoko lain upon the seat beside him. A tall man in his late thirties or early forties came out a few minutes after they had gotten there and instantly his face lit up when he saw the girl laying on the bench.
“It’s the girl! Guys come out here! It’s that girl the couple was looking for earlier! You know the one with the aqua colored eyes…she’s here!” The man was ecstatic and came over to Ronin to ask him a few questions.
“So boy, what happened?”
Although the man’s tone seemed a little accusing Ronin answered anyway.
“I was walking home from work, when I saw someone lying in the middle of the road. I came over and she was just…there without a coat or any warm clothing. I was looking for some ID when she woke up and told me her name was Kiyoko and she had gotten lost two days ago. She asked me to take her home, but failed to give any address before she lost consciousness again. So I brought her here.”
“Hmmm. Well, this is her alright. Her parents were in here this morning telling us she had gone missing when she went out and they hadn’t seen her since. I better give them a call. You should stay here so you can personally tell them what happened; I think they would like to know.”
“Ok. Can I call my folks and tell them I’ll be late?”
“Sure, phone’s over there.”
- - - - - - - - - -------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - -
Her parents were overjoyed when they saw Kiyoko, who had woken up when the pair arrived.
“Thank you so much young man” her mother said to Ronin, while her father merely gave him an encouraging smile. They walked over to the desk to get any further information. Kiyoko then turned to face Ronin.
“Thank you.” She said smiling softly; he felt his stomach do a full blown somersault. She came closer to him and much to Ronin’s elated surprise, gently placed a light kiss on his cheek.
In his ear she whispered. “…Tatsujun…” Her hot breath was cascading over his ear and down his neck, furthermore her lips were inches away from grazing his skin…it was virtually killing him.
He really wanted to push her silky black hair behind her ear and hold her in his arms forever. When she had finally pulled away from his face, she blinked rapidly looking at him with a progressively more confused look than she had worn a few seconds ago.
“Did…did I just say something?”
“Uh…no...?”
Regrettably, he hadn’t really been listening to her; his hormones had yet again gotten the better of his other senses.
“You should get some rest you’re probably very tired.” He exhaled in relief, while in the corner of his eye he saw her eyes close as she started to fall forward. Ronin lunged for Kiyoko, catching her before she had collided with the ground. Her parents came over quickly and her father took her up in his arms.
“She’s unconscious again and is most likely very weak…she should have plenty of rest.” He thought he must have sounds like a complete idiot. It’s not like he was some sort of doctor.
“Thank you for your concern and helping us get our daughter back.” Her mother smiled at him, but it wasn’t the same smile as Kiyoko’s…neither was her father’s. He thought that was a little out of the ordinary, but disregarded the thought as they left the building.
- - - ------- - - -
As Ronin walked home all he could think of was her warm smile, black hair, aqua eyes, and…her kiss. He unconsciously brought his hand to touch the spot on his cheek where her lips had been. It was still warm…when he realized how stupid that was he found himself coming face to face with a young man about his age. However he looked anything but friendly at the moment, in fact he looked down right furious.
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO KIYOKO!”
This guy’s question had thrown him out of his daydreams and into an utter sense of confusion and misunderstanding. Not only had this guy just appeared out of no where, but Ronin had never met him and the guy was already yelling at him.
“What are you talking about?! I’ve never met you before!”
“You may not know me, but I know of you…Ronin right? The second year pretty boy. I know all about you. You date the prettiest girl you can find then dump her if she doesn’t give you what you want! You’re such a pervert!”
This guy was ticked. But he had it all wrong.
“Slow down. First of all, I don’t appreciate the name calling here. And you really need to get your facts straight, dude. The girls I date just end up being dull or bizarre. That’s why I dump ‘em.”
“Well then don’t date ‘em in the first place. It’s not like it takes a genius to figure that out.”
Ronin was getting the feeling this guy didn’t like him very much.
“I date them to be fair. They ask me; turning them down would be rude so I give them a chance. It’s not my fault they always turn out the same.”
“Yeah, yeah, fine, whatever. I believe you...” The guy didn’t seem like he actually believed Ronin at all. “So, Kiyoko, you found her did you.” He seemed to be irritated that he had not only just exploded in the middle of the road but also found out all his devious information was fictitious.
“Yeah. She’s fine now; her parent’s just took her home.”
“Thanks for finding her…I guess.”
“You’re welcome…? Sorry, umm but what’s your name? You’re a first year, right?”
“Name’s Kihaku, yeah I’m a first year. What of it?”
“Nothin, so Kihaku… are you the boyfriend?” Kihaku defiantly blushed a little, but Ronin ignored it…he just wanted to know if Kiyoko was taken or not.
“No! …we have been friends since we were little. I always look out for her; she tends to be a little too adventurous.”
“Oh. Well, ok. I guess I’ll see you in school tomorrow then?”
“Whatever.” He bypassed Ronin and trudged off down the sidewalk.
That had to be the weirdest conversation Ronin had ever had with another guy. No…anyone. He turned around after watching Kihaku walk down the path towards what was most likely Kiyoko’s home. He tried not to dwell on his strange meeting with Kihaku; instead he kept visualizing the only thing in his head at the time. Her warm smile and aqua eyes.
