Red versus White

She listened carefully as the speech came out fast from the girl, trying her best to understand as the words were being covered by the layers of scarf she was wearing. Like a rock being lifted from a paper, the young red head let out a shaky breath.

"Have you ever thought they might have a reason behind? Toshiro's words came back to her as a blow of wind through a tunnel. Amaya mentally slapped herself. This was the reason they were so rough, heartless, cold and did not care about anything but themselves. This little girl in front of her. But that was no good reason as to why they should act the way they did. It was unforgivable.

Another breath came out clouding the air around her face for a split second before it cleared again. "Honestly i am glad that you made the first move." she grinned stupidly at the white haired girl before scratching the back of her neck. "I wouldn't had the guts to come and apologize for my behavior." the words were said in a murmur mostly because she just gave out a small secret about herself. "Stubborn what can i do!" she chirped raising her shoulders and hands defensively. "Anyway" she stopped for a minuted trying to find the best words so they will not affect the girl. "Um-" her legs shifted the weight from one to another "I am really sorry for what i said, I'm sorry i snapped at you and acted that way. I am not like that at all, it's just that seeing so many scenes and finding out they know you-" a deep breath was taken before continuing "From my point of view they are cruel. I'm sorry if i offend you." her eyes watched over the pale face for any sign of pain or disappointment. When none of those two surfaced she continued "No red letter would make me leave this place and if there is a war coming i would gladly accept it, with or without your help." she stated, her eyes filled with determination.




==========================================================




A covered hand took out the small letter from the leather jacket, playing with it couple of time before placing it into the small thin opening from the marble white mail box. Droplets of water splashed on the leather gloves before one finger being raised towards two glossy lips. A cherry tongue came out licking the drop from the finger while the pale blue eyes looked towards the window.

A wink was send towards the window before turning and leaving with a slow calculated pace.




=========================================================





Dark clouds were slowly gathering above the two girls while drops of crystal water were falling faster and faster.

"You want to go have a hot tea? I'm sure the cafeteria is already opened by now." she called at the girl, waiting patiently for a reply.

The drive had been tense and silent. Each boy frowning into his own corner of the limousine and intently focusing their eyes at anything but each other; if he was completely honest with himself right now Tsukasa would be inclined to take blame for the token demilitarized zones that had been drawn in the luxurious cars. Good thing he wasn’t about to dwell on that.

A pair of dark eyes daggered the spot that the Hanazawa heir was currently occupying, while his nostrils flared at every scenario in which his little sister could get hurt because of this man that had been like a brother to him for eighteen years. He frowned when Rui caught him staring only to receive back a half sincere smile.

“Fuck you, Hanazawa.” The curly haired man murmured into his hand before dismissively looking away.

“I love you too Domyoji.” The boy replied much to the coos and “aww” from the remaining two.

“I don’t approve of you and my sister.” Tsukasa spat out with as much venom as he could muster, but the fair haired boy simply shrugged into his book before answering with an emotionless tone.

“Nothing to approve of.” Because there wasn’t … was there? He frowned into his book harder because at this point he must have read the same paragraph 10 times without understanding a single fucking word. There was nothing there. They were just friends. And the fact that this particular topic had been running rampant in his mind for the better part of the last half and hour only proved that they were just friends, damn it.

“You’re so cold Rui.” Akira teased, much to the everlasting disapproval of his curly haired leader.

“Regardless,” Shoujiro interrupted “What are your plans for the red-haired chick?” suddenly all eyes were on Tsukasa, silently waiting for him to decide on the price a little girl had to pay for crossing a Domyoji.

“We’ll-“

“Need I remind you of Haruhi here?” Rui interjected, ignoring the thundering frown he received from his friend. “If you red letter her, you will effectively ruin your relationship with your sister. For good this time.”

“She’ll get over it.” Tsukasa stubbornly declared.

“No. Not really. She will hate you.” Rui said.

“And we all know how she can hold a grudge.” Akira added.

“Can you really live your entire life without your cute little sister?” Shoujiro eagerly added furl to the fire. And to all of this a wide eyed madly confused Tsukasa had only one thing to say:
“…. Fuck.”




It was … nice, she decided - Sharing a meal with a girl her age. For once breakfast didn’t have to be so lonely.

“I never had this.” She smiled at her plate “Um … friends I mean.” She added politely “I don’t mean to presume that we are, but we could be … if that’s all right with you.” And oh great, she was turning red … perfect.


”Anyway. About my brother. He means well, so don’t take it personally. He’s a pain but he’s my responsibility.”

The words echoed through her mind, green eyes lost in space. It warmed up her body somehow. Amaya knew exactly how she felt. Since she started attending this high class school the only friend she got was Toshiro. They were both the same; mind and soul; and that had made them closer than any friends could possibly be.

Both girls stood in silence for what felt like ages; a comfortable silence, disturbed only by the clatter of dished the staff made.


"It feels nice" the red headed girl admitted thoughtfully as a warm smile rose on her lips while soft eyes watched closely the little angel in front of her.

"Hey...You want to come with me somewhere?" Amaya called toward the spaced out Haruhi. "It's my favorite place here..."she interrupted for a second before continuing in a low voice "The only place that makes me feel safe and relaxed and away from all these people." The tone hadn't given away any sorrow, not as if she felt that way, but it had a pinch of melancholy around it.


They set on, both at a slow peace lost in their ow thoughts. The clouds gave warning to a thunder storm due to the game of lights the sky was putting on. Small cool drops made their way on the girls faces, yet neither felt disturbed by it.

Amaya's steps came for a stop in front of a large glass house. She gave a reassuring smile at the girl standing beside her before motioning to follow. The large door screeched as she opened it while the hot air hit them face on. The mossy smell almost chocked the white haired girl.

Advancing, Amaya took a deep breath and headed towards the gardener's shelf.



"Every time something disturbs me I come here to clear my mind and meditate about facts. It's quite silent and sometimes i get so lost in thoughts that i fall asleep on the floor. Toshiro always knows where i am and always finds me. He is like a big brother to me...and the only friend i got here." she chuckled "Look at me talking as if I;m some sort of emo person, who's life is despicable and no one understands me." A long silence followe, forcing Amaya's feeling to grow uneasy.


"About your brother" she started, not knowing entirely how to continue. "Um...everything he does, the way he behaves. You know people quit school because of him, right?" she asked looking at the girl. "I'm sorry, but i don't think i can ever forgive him." Her eyes picked up a small flinch "But i will gladly be your friend." she rushed.

Turning back she picked up a watering can. "I believe humans are closely to plants." a soft smile settled on her freckled face. "Love and take care of them and they will bloom into something heart warming." The sound of the water dripping over the large leaves was like a waterfall, covering the small pause Amaya did. "Don't do that and they will become something ugly and withered."

She moved with far too much ease between these flowers, Haruhi thought. She moved with the habit of repetition and routine. How many days had this girl sought refuge in this glass house? Hiding from her troubles? Or better yet, hiding from Tsukasa? Haruhi frowned, staring intently at a patch of red prickly flowers before glancing back towards the girl.

“Red Catchfly …” she murmured absentmindedly “They were the flowers that the roman slaves would use to best describe their situation … entrapment, imprisoned, chained.” She said while kneeling down slowly next to the small red plants. “Hopeless.” For the longest time her pale fingers silently brushed over the crimson petals almost like she expected this small little flower to hold some universal truth. And for a while there, perhaps a part of her felt inclined to believe just that.

“I think you’re wrong.” She finally spoke, a gentle and haunting tone fallowed by an even sadder smile “Or at least, I disagree … Where I come from people are like birds.” She whispered, gripping the head of a red flower between her fingers before gently taking a whiff of its fragrance.

“We are born in a golden cage, with a bright big view of the world beyond its bars. They clip out wings so we can never fly and expect us to sing for their entertainment.” Blue eyes met green for a split second before the pale girl returned her attention to her flower “That world, that world beyond those golden bars is ours but not really; always there, but just out of reach. And after a while you forget how to sing, you forget why you sang, but you miss it somehow… you make a cage of your own without even leaving yours, and you put another baby bird in there and tell it to sing for you because you will give it the world.” She sighed before ripping the red flower away from its bed and pinning with care in her silver hair.

“And round and round we go.” She smiled towards her friend.

“They didn’t leave because of him, you know. If I wasn’t a burden then he wouldn’t be an asshole. At the root of it all … is just me .”







Hanazawa Rui, by habit, had always been a peculiar young man; always silent, always thinking. It got to the point in which his three friends didn’t even mind much when the young man would blatantly check out of their conversation in favor of whatever would be bothering his inquisitive mind. So when said young man had been staring intently with what Akira called a ‘venomous and murderous intent’ towards the half full glass of scotch in front of him, nobody even gave it a second thought.
It was what Rui did, after all. Chew a problem over long enough to find every possible answer – and they assumed that after enough time to mewl it over whatever was bothering him would be long history. But what they didn’t know was that this time their friend was genuinely stumped.

He wasn’t thinking of anything per say; in fact it scared him a little how his mind was at this moment so fully and utterly blank. It started as a simple thought exercise to discover why it bothered him so much that Haruhi was upset by what he said. What he didn’t expect was the great big wall of nullifying nothingness his brain provided him with when the mere thought of the girls name. It bothered him.

He frowned.

He wasn’t thick by any means, nor was he ignorant of his own self awareness. Obviously he felt attached to this girl, close, he could even go as far as saying he was a bit smitten. And perhaps a bit in denial, because no amount of teenage infatuation with a girl barely in her teens could explain the utter blank he was given when trying to sort off his feelings for her.

He sighed, gripping the glass tightly and slamming it back rapidly. The amber liquid burned down his chest and served very little in calming his nerves. He ignored the curious stares his friends were currently sporting and returned to his little blank wall, silently concluding that he was either in denial or scared shitless.

Another genuine smile grew over her features. "Perhaps. We both have different opinion about humans and the whole world out there." her pink palish hands moved over to rip off few golden dead leaves from another flower. "We grew up in different worlds, you probably wish it had not been like that, while i've seen both of them." she brushed off a spot of dust from her jeans before carefully choosing her words. "Don't burned yourself with your brother's actions. Now i understand..." she lulled passing by Haruhi. "It grew up on me to see people suffering you know. I know the feeling, the threat i thought i was to the world, and yet..." reluctantly she filled up a pot too much. "Oh crap." she mumbled a curse before running for a piece of cloth. A sigh escaped her mouth. "I survived." she gave a smile remembering her childhood.


"As i grew up i understood that it was not me the problem, but the people around me. The complex with which they grow of being the same as everyone; whilst some of them are not bothered, the other part will do anything to change how they are, in the end becoming selfish little devils. They shout they are not racists or homophobic but still when they see someone out of their little circle, they throw awful words and do horrible things." satisfied with the works she'd done she gave a small nod and collapsed on the covered bench. "You said you think people are like birds. Then how come i managed to break free from that little cage and see the world?" she tilted her head on the side looking at the pale girl in front of her. "By the way-" she chuckled "It suits you!" chirping she pointed a finger at the little red flower attached on the silvery hair. "I guess you need a drop of color in your life." and that was the first time she really gave a real smile, not only with her mouth, but also deep inside those greenish eyes. "So please, never think you are at fault. If your brother thrusts you enough he would see the strength his little sister has inside. You might look weak and vulnerable but you surely feel like a stone." she pulled up her blouse to show a small bruise forcing it's way out on her pink skin.




========================================================================




On the other side of the glass house rain was pouring powerful, the dark clouds breaking above the thin silhouette. A hand reached inside the pocket only to pull out a small device. Fingers moved fast on the thin surface before the had placed the device back in it's secure space.



========================================================================



A long moan was heard throughout the dimmed abandoned warehouse. Sloppy sounds were interrupting now and then the barking sound from outside only to be followed by another round a long moans.


"Shi-shizuka!" the voice called right before a muffled song disturbed the two bodies.
"I will be back." was the shirt reply.


They are together. Be careful! A silky silver eye brow rose while cherry lips tighten. "I have to go, we meet tomorrow at the same hour." she rushed and rose, dusting off carefully.

"But Shizuka-"

"Saori." she turned swiftly. "We will talk tomorrow." she cut off the whimpering girl before leaving.

“Where the hell is she ?!” the bellowing question shuddered through every ear drum in cafeteria. Its owner, curly haired and irrational, was currently flaring his nostrils at one particular point in the horizon as if the very sight of it brought him some form of personal insult, while his clenched fist found a rather hasty resting place among the silverware.

He had tried patience, then worry, and then anxiety. Patiently waiting for his trouble prone little sister to finally make an appearance all throughout the day. And when all of these presets seemed to either not pan out, or play themselves out in frustration, he decided to loudly slip into his favorite moodlit: volatile, volcanic anger.

Ration and reason seemed to do little to no good at this point, and even Shoujiro’s attempts at easing the tension seemed to irk him on even further. He’d been frowning menacingly at his, now broken, plate; silently tuning out the ‘calm down-s’ and the ‘she’s grown up now-s’ because what did they know? Nobody could even understand. Nobody would ever understand.

How would these single kids understand the sheer panic Tsukasa felt when she taken all those fucking years ago. The worry, the fear, the desperation, the pleading and begging to ‘please bring her back, we’ll pay anything, just please bring her back’. His teeth grinded against one another with an almost audible screech; that idiot, he thought … she always was prone to trouble, it’s in her blood.

“She’s fine.” finally snapped him out of it; and the definitively calm tone that it was delivered in almost caught him off guard. Rui, of course it was Rui and his voice of reason that would finally reach down into that bottomless pool of terror that always engulfed Tsukasa whenever Haruhi wasn’t around.

“She- “ Tsukasa began angrily only for the words to freeze in his throat when a pair of placid amber eyed rose from behind that damned book Hanazawa always read.

“So what if she skipped ?”he asked, flipping a page “She isn’t 10 anymore, Tsukasa.” He added while the curly haired mess struggled with the sudden knot in his throat. “This time she knows better.”

Tsukasa breathed out, gripping those words with sheer determination. She wasn’t ten anymore, this time she’d kick and scream and fight; he’d made sure in the past 6 years that she’d at least know how to do that … even if she ended up hating him for it. He taught her everything he knew, every dirty trick in every dirty book he could think off; to claw to scratch to punch – aim for the ribs and bellow the belt, when you’re close enough punch them in the throat. No you have to do that better, if you can’t take me you won’t be able to escape by yourself. His frown lessened, and he leaned back in his chair. They took her once but over the years he had made it his damned mission to make sure they would never get to her again. He could relax … for a bit.


Under the table however, the calm and collected gentleman of society and promising heir of his families trading companies was covertly having his own silent panic attack via text. He’d made sure that no one would see him texting; appearing as bored and collected as he could. And after a total of 10 texts the silver haired idiot was still not replying. With the last ounce of self control in him, he sent one last text before he decided that if he kept going he would most likely end up squeezing the poor phone to death. A very concise and eloquent

[WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!]








For her part Haruhi had been content in taking off the second day of school. The greenhouse was peaceful and the company was pleasant. Mikan carried herself with a certain level of ease and comfort that few people could manage around her. And, if only for a while, she almost forgot that she was an outsider.

So she settled back, laughed and told stories, shared her lunch with her friend and held back enough information that she deemed unnecessary at this point, because honestly … her family was depressing enough already without trying to explain to an outside party why she was the root of it all. Finally her phone began to vibrate, and if the first dozen or so times she simply shrugged it off this time, reading that text, made her gulp a little.

Rui never cursed.

“I may be in trouble.” She finally said towards the curious looking redhead.

The steps where meant to be calm and collected but judging the the muddy splashes of water from his shoes, they were not even bit like that.


"I will kill this girl." the statement made few students glance over with fear. It was the first time Toshiro had let the anger overwhelm him, but convincing himself for the tenth time that afternoon that the little punk went over edge and just like a snowflake in the middle of July she vanished in thin air for more than half a day. His blood rose boiling to his head as his mind continuously played scenes deemed of horror movies.

The whole weekend she had been silent, sneaky and gloomy since the night he came over and today; after finding out she had been tricked into waking up earlier; getting to school and finding no sign of his red headed friend, waiting patiently for more than 5 hours of the day to hopefully make an appearance, he recalled the glass house.


"Fucking glass house." he cursed under his breath as he marched through the wet grass, leaving a little path behind him.


"I may be in trouble." his ears perked up an unknown voice. "What?" he gulped looking through the glass door while slowly pushing it open. A chuckled escaped his lips when he realized who she was hanging out with.


"Maaa Mikan..." he stopped before taking of his jacket slowly. "You know....I have been worried sick about you." he smiled forcing the red head girl too take a step back.

"T-Toshiro?!" she exclaimed her body, as if it had a mind of it's own, backed off slowly. "Wh-what -- hehe -- are you doing here?" a laugh which didn't actually belonged to her forced it's way out more like a choke.

"I thought i would find you here. You always come here."

"Ah...haha...right....right." she nodded glancing over at Haruhi. "Oh oh this is Haruhi- WHAT THE-!!!!" she screamed seeing Toshiro sprinting towards her at high speed. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Leave me alone!!!!" the speed she picked up didn't match her friends and soon she found herself on the muddy ground.

"Why you little asshole....if you do this to me one more time i will skin you alive...." Toshiro had finally lost it shaking the girl as if he tried to find a treasure while the poor girl became from red to orange to green to blue and in the end the color settled for a very pale green on her features.

"Ho....rri....ble....To...shi...ru!" she moaned while her body attempted to crawl towards a wall.

"Let it be a lesson to send a MESSAGE to your friend so he would KNOW you are FINE!" he dusted his jacket and straighten his hair as he made a turn towards the silvery haired girl.

"Nice to meet you Haruhi." he bowed at the girl and gave a reassuring and gentle smile. "I am Toshiro Uchimura!"


"Eh!? Now you are domesticated you little twat!" Amaya turned at him.
"It is already 2 o'clock and you skipped to many classes. On top of that the school is talking about the F4." Toshiro explained and Amaya mentally slapped herself. 'Of course he doesn't know you idiot' A glance in general direction made Amaya shut her mouth. She knew that her friend would not tell a word about this, but Haruhi didn't, so instead of explaining what and how and when it happened she just moved her head and winked at the girl.

"I better be going now, if i continue skipping i might get expelled." Amaya smiled at Toshiro and Haruhi before pulling her friend with her.

"Huh? what the...?" the tall boy started before he abruptly stopped. "Wait what was that all about? Who is she?" he pointed his thumb backwards expectantly looking at his friend for an answer.

With a sigh, Amaya smiled, grabbed her friend arm and "SECRET!" she burst into a high pinched laughter while her inner self went all gloomy "I am so dead"

“What a peculiar pair.” A wide eyed Haruhi concluded in the aftermath of their hasty retreat. She wondered briefly if she should perhaps be a bit more insulted than she felt in light of being so promptly and efficiently tuned out, but considering that her phone was practically going read at the moment the rapid departure may have been a godsend in disguise.

“They look like they fit well together.” She whispered to herself curiously, a small smile stretching her face as the two retreating backs faded farther and farther away.

“Mah.” A small carefree shrug fallowed the thought before the teen got up and patted the dust out of her clothes “I suppose I can’t put this off any longer now can I ?” she frowned lightly at the screen of her phone. In the grand scheme of things, the options weighed heavy on either side: Either call and explain why she was missing – fully aware of the fact that Tsukasa would blow his top and consequently her ear off - , or text, casually and simply and postpone the yelling to a more private face to face kind of gathering.

She sighed heavily, deciding that procrastinating on your responsibilities was ok, just this one time, and settle on texting.

A [ I am playing hookie you obsessive-compulsive control freak.] to her brother
And a more passive aggressive [ I am purposely avoiding your ugly face because I am fond of my breakfast.] to Rui.

Yeah. That should do it.




The sound that came from the cafeteria not 30 seconds later was rumored to have been heard all the way from the Garden Club, some even going as far as reporting accounts of the Baseball team missing a few pitches because the a consequential hand-eye coordination problem that said scream caused them.

Tsukasa was … blue. No. More like purple. No one really can find an explanation how the Domyoji heir managed to quite achieve this color, but the popular theory was that got so angry that the blood in his face both flushed and drained simultaneously, leaving the normal ashy skinned young man sporting a more deathly cadaver look than any of his companions cared for.

It was Shoujiro that jumped to restrain the rampaging bull, and earned himself a punch in the jaw for his trouble. Akira was also a casualty of minor assault, but luckily his injury was more of the collateral damage kind than the ‘I will kill anything in my path kind’ that his friend suffered from. He would later declare that the tea cup came flying out of nowhere.

No one really can say who managed to restrain who in the chaos. But they all seemed to agree on the same thing: Tsukasa was held in his seat by Akira, Shoujiro was cradling a swollen eye, and Rui didn’t even raise his eyes away from his book.

Finally, after the dust began to settled, and Tsukasa was somewhat in possession of his faculties, did Rui finally move from his book with an exasperated “Are you quite done?” being casually asked.

“That idiot. “ was all that Tsukasa managed to reply, receiving a curt nod from the honey haired young man.

“Honestly Tsukasa …” Akira breathed out, settling in his own seat and rubbing a tiered hand over his forehead.

“You either need anger management or constant sadartion.” Shoujiro added, nursing a handkerchief over his eye “Nobody sane would react like this.”

“Nobody ever accused him of being sane before.” Rui smirked behind a cup of tea, ignoring the homicidal frown Tsukasa was sporting.

“Rui.” Tsukasa finally spoke, voice horse and tiered “What did she text you?” that one caught Rui by surprise, he’d been sure his under the table cloak and dagger style of texting went unnoticed “Just answer me already! “

“To take care of you.” Was all Rui said, while Tsukasa’s shoulders visibly deflated at the news.

“Oh.”

As a greeting, the whole cafeteria was filled with whispers, once in a while a name was thrown in the conversation. It was later that they fully heard the whole incident that apparently took place while she was missing.

"Ugh." a loud bam was heard. "It was all my fault." Amaya stated the words being muffled by the smooth surface of the table her face was currently against.

A soft sigh forced the girl to slowly raise her head. "You know you will be in a big trouble if your parents will find out you skipped school right?" Toshiro sipped casually from the cup of tea.

"I know i know but...I wasn't planning on skipping you know. It's just that when i saw Haruhi there i just felt like interacting with her." a smile grew on her face. "She is a fun person to hang out with."

"Speaking of that..." Toshiro paused for a minute. "You know who she is right?" he pushed hoping his friend would realize the whole trouble she might have gotten herself in.  

"Huh? What do you mean?" her eyes grew wider than they could possibly be. 'It...It can't be that he knows."

"Just try and be careful. If one of them knows then your life here will be hell." another sip was taken, leaving the two in a uncomfortable silence.


On one side Amaya knew the risks she put herself into. One thing she was hoping, not to get the red notice from them for bumping into Haruhi.

On the other, Toshiro had somehow build some sensation of jealousy at the sight of those two so close. He had been there for her all the time, it was he towards whom she shared all her thoughts and feelings. If that girl would butt in then he would be left outside. And yet, he had never seen his friend smile so genuinely in his life. Maybe it was a start for all of them.


"Ne Toshiro, how did you know who she was?"  amaya broke the silence, gently nudging her friend.

A small chuckle rose from his throat. "I researched." he blindly stated making the girl blink several times.

"Eeeeh?" she interjected.

"Yep. The whole past weekend when you totally ignored me." his eyes gave a small angry glance at her. "I researched about the girl."


It was so not like Toshiro to resort to such actions, a matter which Amaya had to reconsider revising in view of Toshiro.

"It's not like she is an underground mafia Toshiro. That is really low of you." she pouted shifting her eyes on the worst spot she could possibly manage only to meet Tsukasa Domiouji's ones. Her eye brows met in a frown.

Why was he looking at her like that? It's not like he knows...'Don't tell me...he already found out?' she thought while her eyes slowly widen.

"Toshiro. I will be going now. I suddenly don't feel so well." she forced a smile before raising up and making her wait out of the cafeteria.

"Huh what? WAIT?!" Toshiro shouted after her but it was already to late. "What's wrong with this girl." his murmured while his head shook negatively before grabbing his bad and forcing himself out of the already crowded space.



==========================================================================



It felt wrong to go home at this hour not to mention the line of questions she would have to answer if her face was made visible by her parents, so instead of wandering on the school halls while the others were in class, her mind decided on spending some more time in the glass house. Her feet ran off through the rain, once in a while slipping on the wet surface of the grass.

"Damn my jeans!" she cried as soon as she found refugee. Her hair was sticking on her face like glue. Pulling it in a bun she proceed to re-clean the whole place.

He’d been stuck here, in himself, in this spot, breathless and yet breathing, mind blank and yet racing. Catatonic he’d heard Akira call him, not that he really understood the meaning of the word. Maybe Akira was calling him a cat? Who knew. He certainly had the agility of one, or so he liked to brag. No … He frowned slightly, he was better than a mangy cat.

He felt Rui and Shoujiro slip away from the table a while ago. Each with his own version of politeness, or lack there off.

“Something has to give between these two.” He vaguely recalls Rui’s voice saying while the young man rose from the table “Either he learns to trust her, or she learns to accept her nature.” He then added; Tsukasa could almost snort at that … almost.

He’d lost track of how many minutes he’d been ‘catlike’ but he remembers the thing that snapped him out of his self described feline state. Red. So much fucking red. Suddenly his eyes could focus, and with a frown he located said offending color and narrowed over it.

She squirmed away before he could properly register it, and with a gritted teeth he turned to Akira there after “Ne, Akira.” He started in a chilling tone “I need you to find out everything you can about that girl.”

“Oh, is our little boy growing up?” his friend teased.

“Nothing of the sort.”

“Then?”

“I need to know the easiest way to destroy her.” He left it at that, and for once Akira knew better than to push it. Something in Tsukasa seemed to have snapped, and either Haruhi or the redhead were going to see the consequences of this.





On the other hand, a bundled up ball of warmth was quietly slipping out of the building. Warm little knitted hat and scarf keeping the cold autumn chill away from a creature that could hardly handle a light breeze, let alone near freezing temperatures. She decided that the day was already spoiled, so she might as well get to enjoy it while she could. So she slipped past the green house, past the sports field, and was almost out of the gate. Home free.

Well, not really.

“You are either severally inconsiderate, or dumb as a box of nails.” He said calmly, leaning on the side of his car and not bothering to look up from his book. “Though I suppose in your case it could be both.” He added, slowly looking up; she frowned and balled her fists. He expected her to interject something by this point, and when that didn’t happen the silence was both awkward and irritating.
“So …” he snapped his book shut, slightly leaning forward. “Nothing to say in your defense ?”

“Would it matter ?”

“No. Not really.” A chuckle, dry and unmasking – it seemed out of character and unsettling, and when he stepped forward she couldn’t help but step back. “But you see, me and my ugly face were kind of worried .”

“I can take care of myself.” Voice higher, slightly catching in her throat. What was this uneasy feeling, he was almost …almost … scaring her. He wasn’t frowning, wasn’t screaming, and yet beneath all that … beneath the placid polite tone she could see he was on a very steep ledge, and it was taking everything he had to keep himself from going off it. Controlled anger? Silent rage ? Call it what you will, but nothing seemed scarier to the silver haired young girl than Rui in this very moment.

“Oh?” that smile, slight and almost unnoticeable. It sent chills down her spine, and despite herself she stepped back again. “Because I could almost swear you can’t ‘take care of yourself’ right now.” In the blink of an eye his hand was gripping her wrist, pulling her forward with an inaudible yelp. She struggled, pulled, tried to kick. And the more she tried the more the difference of power scared her.

“Let me go!” she demanded while his expression told nothing but utter boredom “Rui! This isn’t funny!” she struggled “I will scream.”

Finally, a smile. Slithery and frightening, it made her bones chill to the marrow, as he leaned in closer and whispered:
.
“Then scream.”

A nostalgic smile settled on the pale features as washed-out blue eyes seemed to be glued to a spot for the past 5 minutes. The night calmly settled down, the dark clouds shifting consequently into shapes once in a while leaving space for the small drops of glitter to show their brilliancy down on earth.

“Maaa Hanazawa Rui…” the voice barely above a whisper made the two individuals jump apart at the intrusion. “I had never taken you for the white haired type.” The silky voice hummed while those eyes never leaving the spot yet the nostalgia in them turned into sadness. “Otherwise I would have done something before.” The thin body turned slightly facing the two, the blue eyes still glued as if she was either too scared to see the face of the young man, or she was scared to show the emotions which was currently waving on the pale countenance.


Time seemed to stop for a moment as her eyes hovered over a pair of swallows searching refugee. The air blew a silver lock from her face before she finally decided to turn eyes locked with two marble ones.. The smile was once covering her pink lips turned into a thin line leaving an emotionless face behind.

“Tell Domiouji to keep his hands off the red head.” Shine warned before turning and disappearing around the corner.



===============================================



On the other side of the town a positive figure tip toed her way pass the imposing gates of the Nagasawa residence.

“I’m home!” she called as soon as the door pushed open only to get nothing in reply. A frown made its way in between her eyebrows as her green eyes searched the surrounding for any type of movement. As she advanced she called again yet nothing came back. Her back pack fell gently on the dining table chair as her eyes spotted a paper on the clean surface.

'Mrs Nagasawa gave us a one week ticket to the mountains as vacation. I am sorry I haven’t mentioned anything to you but it happened so fast! Take care honey and if anything happens don’t hesitate calling us. Love you Mom and Dad.' The message reflected the happiness her mom felt while she wrote the note. A smile pulled at her lips imagining the excitement her mother would show at something like that.


“So you will be alone for a week?”

“Yeah.” Amaya nodded at the question.

“You want me to come over this week?”

At that question the girl hesitated as her fingers swirled around the curly wire. She bit her lower lip.

“No Toshiro, I will manage. Sides your boyfriend is coming over.” At that she refrained a small chuckle knowing how sensitive her friend was about that certain subject, so instead of living it like that she decided to play a little bit more. “Don’t forget to use protection.”

“BAKA! Don’t say stuff like that it’s – it’s not like we do something.” Unable to hold the laughter any longer she burst loudly sending her friend crawling into a hole of shame.

“Maaa stop being a baby. Anyway I have to take out the dogs, take care.” She glanced where the two dogs were waving their tails.

“Baka. Take care.” The click sounded far away as she placed the receptor back in its place.

“Now now…” she started facing the two dogs which were almost ready to assault her. “Let’s go.”

The clouds warned another storm coming as the night finally settled in. With a gulp she forced out her courage to wander on the dark streets of the neighborhood. Because one her friend knew the little girl’s only fear. Darkness.

“You are weak.” That’s all he said; far too close and far too serious, his breath stung against her cheek and out of panic she thrashed away violently just as he released his grip. The sudden loss in balance made her meeting with the ground that much more painful, but instead of wincing at the pain in her lower back or at the scratched her hands received trying to break the landing her eyes remained fixed on him. He looked different now. Grown up, tall, frightening; pale blue eyes blinked rapidly when realization slowly hit.

“You are weak.” He repeated “Against somebody that is serious … you are utterly helpless.” His face remained unchanged, expressionless and impassive; a combination of utter boredom and unhinged resent. Without a word, or a look back he made his way to his car ignoring the perplexed and frightened little girl on the ground.


“Maaa Hanazawa Rui…” the sickeningly silk voice creped up behind him, “I had never taken you for the white haired type. Otherwise I would have done something before.” She looked older than Rui, in her early twenties perhaps? And the presence about her left the wide eyed pale little girl looking up even more confused. The effect this woman had on him was instantaneous. His shoulders tense, his fists clenched; it looked like in the blink of an eye his entire body went into fight mode – though to his name his expression barely changed. He threw a bored glance over his shoulder towards the slender figure, narrowing his amber eyes over.

“Tell Domiouji to keep his hands off the red head.” The woman added, slightly frowning perhaps at his coldness before disappearing.

“What … who was ?” Haruhi began, looking back at the retreating figure before the sound of a car door opening finally brought her back to reality.

“Next time you feel like playing brave make sure your fun doesn’t bring misery to the people that care about you, little girl.” He said over his shoulder as he climbed into his limousine, choosing to ignore the disappearing nuisance and Haruhi’s confusion. “Thought next time I assure you, you will be one person short on that list.” It was more spat out that stated, and the sound of the door being slammed behind him played out like a defending nail in the coffin that had been their friendship.


Time seemed to stop for a moment as her eyes hovered over a pair of swallows searching refugee. The air blew a silver lock from her face before she finally decided to turn eyes locked with two marble ones.. The smile was once covering her pink lips tu


“ Rui! W-wait!” a hand reached out towards nothing, but before the words finished flying out of her mouth the car was already driving away. “I’m …so- “ the word died in her throat, stinging her eyes and tightening her chest.





[I’m sorry.]

The words on the screen read clear, crisp, and unexpected. Tsukasa had blinked at them, wondering if he was finally seeing things, because there was no way in heaven and hell all mighty that his little sister was apologizing.

[I’ll behave.]

The screen flashed again, and the curly haired young man was beginning to wonder if he was in fact having some form of nervous breakdown.

[Can you tell Rui I’m sorry as well?]

Ok now that settled it, he lost it, or course he had. She finally pushed him enough for him to crack quite literally out of worry. These kind of things only happened to old women with troublemaking sons, or in those unrealistic dramas where they all died and never lived happily ever after … as far as he heard. Great, just great.

“I am an old hag.” He murmured dumbly into his phone while Akira promptly spat out his tea at the remark.

“Tsu- ...wha-…” he tried asking between a weird combination of coughing and laughing, and then the phone was pressed in his face. “Oh.” Was all he said while Domyoji stood silent.

“In sixteen years that girl hasn’t apologized once.” Tsukasa said “Not even when she wondered away and got kidnapped. Not even after our father cried at her feet when they brought her back. I always thought that’s as selfish a human could get – to utterly ignore everyone’s feelings but your own.” Akira nodded, trying to hide how shocking the levelheaded side of Tsukasa really was.

“Rui did something.” The yakuza heir said flatly, his mind working a mile a minute already.

“Obviously.” The Domyoji heir agreed flatly, wiping his mouth with a silk napkin and promptly dropping it on the table as he rose. “I need to get to the bottom of this.” He said then adding a “I’ll catch you later.” To his friend.




Outside of the school gates, leaning on a small guardrail Haruhi’s breath made small little clouds while her eyes read the latest text from her older brother. [Meet me outside the North gates. I’ll be there in 5.]

“Aaaah aaa … I wish he’d hurry up a bit.” She commented absentmindedly.

“You made me wait all day, least you could do is wait a minute longer.” The voice said angrily, but deflated instantly at the pair of tear stung blues that widened up at him. “Idiot.” He concluded under his breath.

“You wanted to see me ?” she sniffed after, and Tsukasa frowned slightly at it.

“Ah.” He nodded, silently taking a spot next to her. They stood in silence for the longest time, neither daring to speak out of turn towards the other . It was Haruhi that finally bit the bullet in the end .

“I didn’t think …”

“No. No you didn’t.” Tsukasa agreed darkly, making the young girl wince in turn.

“I’ll come back to the F4.” She finally said, catching Tsukasa off guard enough to almost fall straight off the fence. “But you have to … you have to…”

“Oh demands already, well aren’t we in the high and mighty business lately.” He said bitterly, slightly raising his tone while adding “You little twerp, you have no demands in this case what so fucking ever!”

“YOU HAVE TO STOP HURTING PEOPLE!” she screamed it more than asked it, and the way her voice cracked and broke did things to Tsukasa’s heard that he cared not admit too. Instead he just stood back, wide eyed and perplexed unable to either agree or disagree. “You have to accept that I’ll always stand out … and it’s not their fault for pointing it out.”

“They’re all idiots anyway, what do you care?”

“I care about what it’s turning you into. What it’s turning us into …” she murmured, he frowned.

“You care about a lot of shitty things.”

“Promise!”

“No.” he snorted and stood up. “It’s my job. Dad asked me to do this job, and I’ll fallow if.”

“Your twisted interpretation of father’s word-“ she shot up, screaming only to be silenced by a daggered stare from her brother.

“Protect your sister at any cost, let her cling to your strength and help her walk on her own – that’s what the man said.” He repeated almost comically, making the girl sink into her place ever further. “I’ve always done my best. It just so happens that I am at my best when I use my fists. You want me to stop hurting people? Give me a fucking break!” his voice rose angrily “Why don’t you do something to make that little action unnecessary? Why don’t you stand up for yourself? Or stop letting it get to you?” he demanded “Here’s the deal you little shit, I’ll stop beating up your bullies when you’ll stop hiding behind that hat and scarf, when you’ll stand up straight and tall. But until then? Until then you little shit, your ass will stay firmly glued to my side, next to the people that love you, and watch out for you … understood?

She just nodded, silent and guilty; unable to either agree or disagree with everything he said. He did nothing but speak the truth, she just didn't imagine that the truth could bore so deep into her heart. Her chest hurt, her head ached, and her eyes stung and without realizing it, Tsukasa’s arm was already around her pulling her into a comforting hug that she just clung desperately too.

“Now.” He said, slightly irritated by the fluff of her hat “Tell me … what did Hanazawa say to you to finally get you to wake up?”

“Mmm …” she murmured .

“Come again?”

“He just stopped being my friend .”

The gloomy aura surrounding the person who just passed by the squirming mob send shivers down the spine to anyone who got as near as brushing shoulders.

"Scary..." the body leaned side to side, almost awfully alike a zombie. Her red hair had a pale color and it pointed in every way possible, while her clothes looked all wrinkled.

"Horrible..." she murmured almost inaudible.

"Night... " finally the body fell exhausted on chair making the poor furniture crackle under the weight.

"Hoooo...Would you look at that. How pathetic." a voice called towards the helpless body earning almost nothing more in response than a flinch of shoulders.

The first classes passed without any other comments regarding Amaya's posture.

It was during the break that the red head finally woke up as soon as her ears perked up the name Uchimura.

Apparently the idiot took a whole week leave from school with the latest excuse he could ever make up - catching the flu. Her anxiety grew even higher when the realization hit her; she was completely alone for a whole week. Then the rage busted, turning the purple aura into a scarlet red one.

How could he dare skip school like that and on top making such a horrible excuse.

For a moment she mentally kicked and twisted while her posture remained straight and collected.

It was seconds after the inner rage she looked up from the table. The face who she despised the most appeared in front of her eyes.

Remembering those eyes starring at her made the hair on her back stick for a short time while a shiver shook her body.

'I might have gotten myself in trouble.' she whimpered.

The whole feeling however, was set aside as her eyes shifted towards a familiar figure.

"Ah" she interjected but her mouth shut rapidly as she observed who was following the little girl. "F4...Haruhi" she silently called a frown deepening on her face.

"What is she doing with them?" the question rose in her throat only to be swallowed back when two brow menacing eyes stared back at her.

They kept up the staring competition for several seconds until she gave up and broke it. Her hands calmly picked up whatever was left from her lunch before taking a leave from the cafeteria.

In the span of 24h, silently, the entire dynamic seemed to shift over night. She did as she promised – kept herself close and obedient by her brothers side – silently taking in stride the not so obvious whispers and the stares along with the more obvious snark remarks and indignation by the more brutish of side of the female populous. She faced them all, silent and polite, with a head bowed and a reserve worthy of the Domyoji name.

Haruhi faced them all on, at once without reserve, in her own silent way; choosing to ignore what they called her, what they thought of her, or what particular surprise they might leave in her locker at the end of the day; and all of this just because she walked along the F4 now.

If only these people knew.

Bullying was nothing new to the teenage girl. After all the years Tsukasa and the rest had been by her side she learned that their mere presence seemed to magnify the regular attention her unique appearance normally got her. They were her armor, her shield, and her family. And at times as much as they protected her, she wondered if they themselves weren’t one of the reasons why she needed protection.

It didn’t matter, not really. Not anymore. She looked over towards her brother, a permanent frown glued to his face as he pranced through the hallways from the cafeteria to her next class and wondered when he stopped being a kid. When did he stop enjoying hanging out with his friends, skipping class and taking it easy? When did he start frowning when he heard a whisper, yelling when he saw them stare, and picking fights because he saw them laughing?

And then there were the rest of them. Led on through this mess because of a girl they shouldn’t have any attachment too. Not really. So many people. So many lives stirred the wrong way just because she couldn’t stand up to herself, couldn’t be proud of herself, and couldn’t look up by herself. Just like Rui said … weak.

Speaking of which – she suddenly looked up towards her right, Hanazawa Rui stoic and stately walked silently by her side like nothing even happened. But it wasn’t quite like that, was it? He was smiling, laughing, talking but not to her. In fact he hardly even looked at her anymore.

“Ne, Rui … “ she said without thinking, trying to get her attention with something …anything “What … what class do you have next? Maybe we could catch up in the greenhouse?” nothing, not even a glance; and for what felt like the hundredth time that day her heart tightened in her chest.

“Shoujiro.” He suddenly said, glossing over surprised and confused looks the rest of them gave him when it finally became apparent that Rui was indeed ignoring the silver haired girl.

“Yes?” the dark haired boy replied wearingly

“Want to go to Oxygen after class? “His voice came out more bored than sincere, and both Shoujiro and Tsukasa narrowed their eyes towards him.
“Um ... sure. But what about the greenhouse?” Shoujiro asked, looking apologetically back at Haruhi; in turn Rui simply shrugged.

“I can’t imagine I know anyone as dull as to hang out in a greenhouse.” At that Haruhi laughed. Silent and hallow at first, then progressing into something aching and painful.

“Oi … Haruhi…” Tsukasa started worryingly.

“Man that was good. Oh … here’s my class.” She said suddenly, turning towards the four of them and smiling as brightly as her cheeks let her. “I should go, I’ll see you at lunch.” She nodded at them, turning to take her leave.

“Oi wait!” Tsukasa called, gripping her hand to keep her in place “That woman, the redhead…”

“Oh ?” she looked towards the classroom, smiling brightly at her friend “What about her.”

“You want her dead? Because she pisses me off.”

“WHAT NO!” she said a bit too loudly “She is my friend. You leave her be!” she whispered through gritted teeth, pulling her hand free and taking her seat next to Amaya, ignoring the death glares her brother was sending her way.

“Just ignore him.” She said to the concerned looking redhead, forcing a pleasant smile “What’s wrong with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost and blew chucks simultaneously.”

If possible the blood from her face drained drastically leaving behind a dead like color. If it wasn't for the fact that Haruhi gave a reassuring and warm smile she would have probably faint then and there. The deadly stare the boy gave her send her blood cold to the very core and her mind convinced her once more that she was getting in some deep trouble.

"What no pfft." she waved Haruhi with a flip of pale hand pulling on a courageous act. "But are you sure you want to hang out with me? He looked quite pissed." her thumb showed towards the boy.

The whispers around them didn't cease to stop and Amaya tried desperately to ignore them.

"I honestly hate these people." she eventually snapped releasing a long stressed sigh. "So how have you been?" the ginger girl said brushing off her anger sporting a big smile at the girl beside her.

“I’ve been well.” Haruhi smiled at the question. She hopped it was sincere enough, honest enough not to demand a more detailed answer. Because honestly what could she say? I’ve been a spoiled brat and because of it I lost the one guy I … Her thoughts trailed and derailed at that point simultaneously before she managed to refocus on the topic at hand.

“Tsukasa doesn’t like you much.” She admitted “But there’s little he can do as long as I play nice with his demands.” A pause, because it hurt, because she felt trapped by the very thought, because a part of her still wanted freedom. “But we all have to make sacrifices I suppose … “ she looked back towards the class door, the disappearing backs of her friends one of which in particular seemed farther away than the rest. “Some are greater than others.”





He’d been glaring at his teacher for the better part of the hour and for his part, the porkly looking middle-aged man seemed to grow more and more uncomfortable under the young man’s stare. This school had one simple rule for the teachers to fallow: cater to the F4, that and that alone was their primary worry. If, gods forbid something upsetting to either of the four boys could be traced back to a faculty member said faculty member would inevitably be dismissed. And in light of this, and the fact that the old geography teacher was being eyeballed by one of the more well adjusted of the four made the entire experience that much more traumatizing.

Hanazawa Rui had never been known to hold a grudge against a teacher; the man had at least that fact to hold solace too. So whatever he had done to upset the young man must have been intensely severe; drastic measures needed to be taken.

“Hanazawa san?” the man called, snapping the honey haired young man out of his own thoughts with a visible startle. “If the lesson is boring you, then perhaps we could change topics?” In any other school this would be interpreted as sarcasm, shaming. But here, in this school it was a genuine concern and proposition. The boy simply smiled, shook his head and proceeded to look out the window next to him.

“No, that would be quite all right. “ he finally said accompanied by a relieved sigh from his teacher “Please do go on Hashirama sensei.”

He had been spacing out all day, and quite frankly he didn’t find it in him to stop quite yet. The way things were right now there was little to no point in not checking out and ignoring his surroundings. He’d brought it on himself, he kept telling himself this for the better part of the day. This hole in his chest, this missing piece that unsettled his very core … he chose this the moment he cast her out; and a part of him was genuinely surprised that he could be capable of being so very cold towards somebody he cared for so very deeply.

He sighed, resting his chin on the heel of his hand while watching the far away greenhouse he’d so rudely declined seeing just an hour earlier.

This is a lesson. She needs to understand she can’t keep going through life recklessly if she isn’t strong enough to face the consequences. He frowned at his own thoughts, wondering absentmindedly if teaching her a lesson was worth pushing her away. And on top of everything that woman had to show up. Why after all these damned years? Why now? And why right in front of Haruhi out of all people?!

The bell snapped him straight out of his self punishing thought promptly fallowed by the buzing of his phone.

[Still up for the club?] Shoujiro asked and Rui almost smiled at the screen at that - A subtle way of his friend in asking if he’s still upset.

[Too bored. Might take the rest of the day off.] he decided on replying

[Talk to her.] the next text read making the boy snap his phone shut angrily Yeah well what did he know?
.

For the next hour the two girls chatted silently once in a while chuckling disturbing the lesson. It was a nice feeling though, yet Amaya kept on wondering if it’s the best thing to do. For the first time in her life she felt she could have opened to someone else than Toshiro but somehow her heart ached at the thought and feeling of betraying her best friend.

But it wasn’t like she was not allowed to have another friend right?

She tapped her pencil on her chin while her eyes spaced out into nothingness. She didn’t care what happened in the end considering she was now friends with Domiouji Haruhi, the consequences might turn out ugly but it was a step she really wanted to take.
The thin fingers gripped the pencil and moving it with grace she wrote down a note, passing it towards the girl beside her with a smile.
‘You want to spend some time in the greenhouse after school?’ it wrote.
When a nod came as a reply her smile brighten even more and nodding back herself she focused her attention on the few remaining minutes from the boring class.


“Are you sure it’s ok to hang out together?” Amaya asked carefully for the third time during the break. “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me or more over to have your brother upset on you.” The two girls slowly made their way towards the greenhouse. The bright sun was casting over their heads warming up their shivering bodies. In the last few days the weather turned cold introducing them slowly to the upcoming winter.


The greenhouse stood there imposing yet welcoming as always. From the outside it showed demolished but from the inside it was almost as a fairy land. All the colors warmed it up and it made it magically hospitable. You could say it was all thanks to the ginger girl’s help. A refugee which she build up after her own taste to host her weakened days giving in return hope and tranquility.


The girls carefully placed their jackets on the covered bench and proceed to tidy up the flowers and plants.

Tsukasa frowned into the phone, silently tuning out what Rui had to say about who knows what’s return into the scene. Because honestly, who cared if some old guys they kicked out of school a while ago made a reappearance. He didn’t care, nor was he worried.

Rui however seemed to be.

“Give it a rest already, Rui.” He snapped without looking up from his phone “Who cares if they’re back? Since when did we start caring about rejects?”

“This time the message was aimed at you more than me ?” the honey haired young man hummed behind a cup of lukewarm tea.

“Oh? “ Tsukasa smirked above his phone “Let me guess, the old lesbian has her eyes on Haruhi?” he snorted “Because that would be the excuse I’d need to finally unwind into a proper fight.”

“No, not Haruhi.” The boy replied absentmindedly while Shoujiro and Akira smirked to one another.

“Oh what is this?” Shoujiro hummed.

“You remember her name?” Akira continued.

“Give it a rest, both of you.” Rui frowned into his book.

“Honestly, you’re so stubborn. Just kiss her already.” Akira murmured while Tsukasa proceeded on spitting and chocking on his drink. “It’s been obvious since the moment you met her.” More chocking “You could barely walk and still insisted on protecting Tsukasa’s little sister.” Even more choking. “And the way you look at her ~” ok, lack of air was beginning to be a problem at this point.

Rui sighed, gave Tsukasa one good slap on the back and frowned at Akira. “You’re a dick.” He said “One day you’ll kill him.” He added while Akira just smirked.

“You assholes.” Tsukasa gasped between breaths “My sister is off the market for any of you!” he wheezed.

“Relax Tsukasa.” Shoujiro hummed back at his friend “One day he’ll man up and admit it to himself, you’ll have a breakdown and after a year of intense therapy you’ll finally accept their undying mutual love.”

“MUTUAL?!” Tsukasa palled, looking menacingly between Shoujiro and Rui. For his part though, the Hanazawa heir was doing his best in ignoring the lot of them. Ignorance is bliss after all.

“The message was to stay away from the redhead.” Rui finally spoke up from behind his book before he stood up from the table, frankly bored of the entire conversation.

“The redhead ?” Tsukasa asked “Well this should be interesting. Oi! Where are you going ?” he called after him.

“The roof.” Rui replied over his shoulder.

“Oh trying to get a good view of the greenhouse ?”

For the first time in his life, Hanazawa Rui felt compelled to give somebody the middle finger.





“Mmm, It should be fine.” Haruhi replied quietly “I told him where I was and told him we’d meet up after school to go home.” She added, tucking away her phone. It truly was a peaceful place- Warm, inviting, sweet smelling; a slice of heaven in which, t least for a moment, she could forget her troubles in.

“I love this place.” She finally admitted “It’s like a bubble to keep the world out.”

”But what about you Amaya ?” she smirked mischievously “What about that friend you were with, won’t he get mat too?”

“Toshiro?” her hand waved casually “Don’t worry about him, he wouldn’t hurt a fly and sides he cares about me and he wants what’s best for me.” The smile grew even larger than before. “Even though he might feel left aside he has to understand that eventually I will fly away from his side.” The flower she was caressing at that moment shined with life as if a spell was cast upon. Amaya reassured herself that her friend would never stop talking with her just because she had made another friend. It was in their blood and the connection they had was far higher than anyone could imagine. Apparently the rumors that gay men were the best friends one could have were true. “He’s been there for me since we were kids.” A gentle smile pulled up those cherry lips as her hands graciously made wonders with those little helpless plants. “Helped me when I needed him the most, forcing me to crack the shell I was slowly building around me.” Those green eyes showed nothing more nothing less but gratitude at the memories.


“I just hope Domiouji will accept me as your friend one day.” Her pink tongue stuck out at the girl.




================================================================================




Shizuka walked graciously along the grandiose hall while the servants bowed deeply at her appearance. The emotionless eyes were almost lost in space. It was not in her plan for this to happen. Perhaps the young heir was getting softer? That thought alone almost send rage through her body but nevertheless her featured remained the same.


“Any news?” her voice demanded as her sight came across her sister.

Shina was leaning against the window starring at nothing specific. It seemed as she was lost in her thoughts not even noticing the arrival of her sister. A frown emerged on the pale face. Lately the girl had been spacing out, silently sneaking out of the house at night, disappearing from Shizuka’s sight more than a couple of times.

Startled Shina turned to look at her sister. She bowed deeply murmuring a ‘sorry’. “I haven’t.” she lied her face emotionless as her sisters.

The reply forced the frown deeper. Two hands deepened in the pants pockets while the heels echoed through the large room.

“Is it something wrong sister?” shizuka asked as she walked with steady steps admiring the large painting on the walls. “Because lately you have been sneaking out on me.” The body stopped.


The blue eyes watched carefully the standing body in the middle of the room. “I am sorry sister, I have tried my best. The message was delivered successfully tho-“

“Enough!” the shout interrupted Shina leaving a long echo resound around the room. A deep sigh was followed after before the body turned to face the other one. “If you have any intention on seeing that boy again I advice you reconsider that action.” she dictated in a menacing voice.

“No sister. It was never my intention I assure you.” Shina answered in a low voice.

“Good.” The body turned and left without any other word.


The eyes followed the taller figure vanish through the mahogany doors before shifting back to the view outside. Her head hit the window frame with a low thud while heavy eyelashes closed shut.

“He will. He’s a stubborn old stick in the mud, but he means well … eventually. I think.” The trailed in her own thoughts before a sly smile stretched her lips “Why don’t you join me for lunch with the guys?” she jumped up excitedly. “It would be fun, and give my brother the little panic attack he deserves. Ne, what do you say?”




Perched from his vantage point against the world, protected by a pristine white scarf and pretending he didn’t just read the same paragraph in his book for the past 10 minutes Rui looked down at the greenhouse for what seemed like the hundredth time. He did it despite himself, looking out at the two, barely visible shadows that hid behind the glass walls of the gardening club-house. He sighed, slightly frowned and mentally chastised himself for what he assumed was lack of discipline and control and reread the same paragraph again.

“Huh?” the question took the young red head by surprise as green eyes blinked rapidly. As soon as her mind fully registered the words it felt troublesome to weight the upcoming events so she immediately nodded.


‘I just agreed to enter the wolf’s den’ Her inner self concluded honestly. Being already too late to back off she decided to officially meet the famous four silently praying to whoever was up there, everything to turn out at least ok if not good.


Washing off her dirty hands she couldn’t keep that brain of hers away from manipulating the moves her every part of the body. Before the girls proceed to make their departure for the next class Amaya dropped the heavily watering can on her feet. As if it wasn’t enough that her left leg was bruised, with a lump surfacing rapidly, the remaining water splashed her legs and half of the skirt. At that a curse blew out of her little mouth, her anxiety growing higher. Then as she was entering the school building the door flung open hitting her straight in her face throwing the dizzy body on the floor. From the impact another lump grew on her forehead.


She was currently leaning against her friend, limping from the stinging pain in her foot while a hand rubbed slowly at the visibly red lump from her head. She shyly excused herself as they passed by the restroom, entering it. As if it wasn’t enough from the previous horrible accidents another one was enough to throw the clumsy girl over the hedge.


As she was washing her hands the faucet broke, sprinkling her whole body with cold water. Her feet stepped backwards while her hands tried desperately to dry off the ice cold water, only to have her slip, sending her whole body through the toilet door and onto the bidet, cracking the blue china from the weight.

That face she had put on combined with the loud shriek of horror had Haruhi burst into the restroom.

It was almost like all those signs were warning her that the whole idea of having lunch with those spoiled, condescending brats would only turn into a disaster. Warm clear tears sprang out and course down the shocked pale face.

Haruhi just stood back, shock stricken and frozen on the spot while a remote part of her wondered if this was not a sign that some form of cruel deity indeed making its presence known by torturing her friend.


”A…. Amaya…” she whispered, looking up and down at the bruised and soggy teenager “You look like you crossed a black cat.” She added worryingly. “Let’s … um… I have some clean clothes in the car for emergencies! “ she remembered rapidly. “You can borrow those.” She grabbed the girl by the wrist and dragged her half across the school, cross the courtyard and into the parking lot where a very somber looking man bowed at them solemnly from the side of a very long and luxurious looking black car.

“ Hanzo we need to get into the car for a minute or two.” She said rapidly and shoved the girl in first, slamming the door behind them. In the very next second a bag was thrown at her friends side. “ Pick whatever fits.”

The shock never passed her senses. Not even when she was grabbed and pulled through the school, not even when she was thrown in the car. Not even when the bag hit her chest.


“That…the…it…” she mumbled those green eyes still wide opened. Her hands gripped the bag tightly. It was second later that her eyelashes blinked slowly as if she was just awakened from a hypnotic sleep. Green eyes looked between the bag and the girl who was waiting expectantly.


“I’m sorry to put you through all this trouble. I will just head home Haruhi, but thank you very much for your help.” She eventually stated hoping she would silently slip away from the lunch without having the young girl notice her true intentions.


Another glance over at the girl across her made something inside her cringe. It was as if she looked heart broke for some reason and she wondered just how much did Haruhi wanted her to meet her brother and his friends. For a minute of deliberation she settled of giving another shot and with a sigh she picked up a gray knitted blouse which fit perfectly her body, a pair of navy blue shredded jeans and dirty white converse closing the whole outfit with an army green squared jacket.

“I…I guess this’ll do. What do you think?” she watched over towards the girl who seemed to weight the whole outfit with calculated eyes.

The girl just nodded approvingly and moved to open the door. “It looks far better on you than on me. You should keep it.” She said with a smile “Come on though, I’m starving and those guys won’t know what to order for us.”



On the opposite side of the campus, in the exclusive corner that only the F4 could claim, Tsukasa was slowly feeling his patience slip away with every bored tap of his fingers. He’d mastered the rhythm a few minutes back, after nearly half an hour of constant out of tune taping, and had been happily driving his friends insane with it ever since.


“Must you really tap the tune to itsy bitsy spider over and over?” Akira finally snapped, slamming his menu on the table in exasperation.

“Hm?” Tsukasa smirked sardonically, tapping just a bit louder “I wonder.” he added much to Akira’s homicidal rage.

“Tsukasa so help me –“

“What are we fighting about?” Rui asked, dropping into a seat lazily.

“Tsukasa’s out of tune insanity and his Chinese drop type of torture method.” Shoujiro replied pleasantly, ignoring Akira’s deepening frown.

“Oh?” Rui asked, waving the waiter over “What a terrible person you are Tsukasa.” He hummed playfully, slowly tapping in perfect resonance to his friends bit. The devilish smirk he threw towards Akira seemed to grow bigger and bigger, refusing to remove itself even when the waiter approached politely asking for their order.

“I fucking hate both of you.”

“OH HOW RUDE!” both boys said in perfect unison, making the yakuza heir grind his teeth in frustration.

“Dickheads.” He huffed and looked into his menu “The salmon!” he snapped “With asparagus. And some chardonnay”

“Oh that sounds good, the same .” Shoujiro agreed.

“Yeah me too.” Tsukasa nodded “Only I want whiskey with mine and instead of salmon I want okonomiyaki and instead of asparagus I want domburi.”

“Just say what you want you undecisive-“ Akira snapped, Thuskasa simple smirked and tapped away.

“Hm. I’ll have the white truffle soup with half baked croutons. “ Rui hummed politely “A cup of green tea and …” he trailed looking up at the man “There will be a friend joining us, I’m sure she would love a burger with a side of fries.” He frowned slightly while looking over the menu, completely oblivious of the knowing looks his friends were giving one another “And a big slice of strawberry shortcake.” He smiled handing over the menu.

“Man that sounds great!” he froze, momentarily unsure how to react because he could almost swear she came out of nowhere. But instead of palling at the embarrassment of having to order for a person you were currently pretending not to care for, he simply invoked every ounce of self control and dignity and just nodded vaguely in her general direction. “Oh and can you bring my friend the same?” Haruhi added, dragging another chair to the table and making Amaya take it.

“Guys, Amaya. Amaya … the guys.”

“Guys, Amaya…Amaya…the guys.” For a split second she could swear the room drastically got colder sending a shiver through her body. She had no clue what to say when all those eyes were staring at her with anger? Disturbance? Disgust? Her mind couldn’t even focus properly on the changes their faces played so shaking her head any doubt regarding this meeting cleared on the spot. She cleared her throat, adding a slow ‘Hello’ after then she sat at the chair Haruhi pulled closer.


Her mind couldn’t even pick up a good subject to start with let alone laugh or even smile at their jokes. She didn’t know them, she didn’t know what they like, what hobbies they had, even though she was pretty sure one of them was called “Pick on people”. At that thought she frowned. Finally deciding to just sit down and observed she quietly bit down on her fried potato she was currently holding once in a while smiling and answering the very few questions which were addressed at her.


It was clearly that probably if she hadn’t been around the guys would be totally different, because before Haruhi made their presence known they were laughing all together, joking and teasing each other. It had been close to a dream the sight in front of her. IF Haruhi hadn’t made their presence known.


At that moment something changed from within. They weren’t so bad after all; around each other they were like any other teenager, laughing, smiling; showing their true selves even if for just few seconds – that short period of time was enough to change Amaya’s opinion about the boys. Her face kept on being indifferent when eyes were darting in her direction once in a while or when a snort was heard when she replied at a question. She kept in telling herself that what she'd seen before was indeed not a dream. Amaya didn't know how much her patience can hold alive, so her brain continuously hummed 'it was not a dream' trying hard to even believe itself while her lungs rose gently as she sucked in deep breaths hoping no one would notice how distressed she was in reality.