The Blind Leading the Blonde
By Ruki Minamoto
Summary: Eight years have passed since TK and Kari last saw each other. TK has entered a world he has never dreamed of, one of drugs and betrayal, while Kari is left with a cross to bear after a fire. Can the blind lead the blonde before it is too late for either of them?
Disclaimer: Do I look like Akiyoshi Hongo to you?
Chapter 1: TK Returns Home
TK Takaishi shifted the bag on his shoulder and forced himself through the crowd at Odaiba Airport. He was happy to be back here, after eight years of living in America. He missed his older brother and friends, especially Kari, who he hadn't contacted in a long time. He hoped she had gotten on well.
He changed his direction and headed into the bathroom. He moved into a corner and glanced around him. No one was there, thankfully. He opened his bag and pulled out a syringe.
That voice spoke in his heart again. That voice he couldn't shake away. The voice that sounded just like Kari's voice, the one that had troubled him for four years since he had started.
"No, TK. Don't do it. Not again."
TK clasped his hands to either side of his head, and began to mumble under his breath.
"No. This is okay. Leave me alone!"
A man had entered and raised an eyebrow in response to TK's shout. TK turned and stuffed the syringe into his bag. He shouldered it again and stormed out, pushing the man roughly as he went.
"What are you staring at, stare bear?" he said rudely as he left.
TK shoved his way through the bustling crowd and finally managed to get outside. He spotted a taxi and climbed inside. He told the driver his desired destination and sat back.
He opened his bag and pulled out the syringe. Using his bag to hide what he was doing, he pushed up his sleeve to reveal the place he had used to inject himself many times.
Taking care not to call attention to himself, he injected himself. It didn't even sting anymore.
When they reached the café Matt had told TK all about, the driver tapped the meter showing the money TK owed him impatiently.
TK climbed out of the taxi and glared at the driver through the open door.
"Go to hell." TK told him simply and slammed the door loudly. The driver rolled his eyes as TK left. He reset the meter and presumed TK was some sort of teenage hooligan. He was relieved that his passenger hadn't been violent.
TK entered the café and looked around. It was nice, in a sickly sweet sort of way.
He looked around and spotted a vacant booth. He walked over to it and flopped down. He threw his bag down next to him and picked up a menu. He examined it and made a face.
This was certainly no New York City.
A young man, who looked about nineteen, entered the café. He was wearing jeans and a red sports jacket. He had unruly brown hair and a face that seemed oddly familiar to TK.
He looked around the fairly full café and approached TK's booth.
"Can I sit here?" he asked.
Normally, TK would have responded with a rude comment, but something deep inside him kept the comments from escaping.
"It's a free country." TK told the man and he sat down opposite him.
"You seem familiar…" the man said quietly. "My name's Tai Kamiya."
Suddenly, TK understood why the man seemed familiar.
"TK Takaishi." TK told Tai. Tai looked TK up and down.
"You look…uh…different." Tai observed.
TK was wary of his rough appearance. He wore the oldest looking jeans in his wardrobe, he was wearing a black leather jacket and he had very rough looking facial hair.
"It's been eight years, Tai." TK told him. Tai nodded dismally.
"It has." Tai said sadly.
Even on his drug related high, TK could tell that Tai had something on his mind.
However, he wasn't going to ask.
"Matt's missed you." Tai told TK. "But he isn't here. He, Sora and Joe are all off at
college. Sora got a sporting scholarship. I could've too, but I had to stay here."
TK didn't let the strangeness of that comment get to him. Something, much deeper inside him than his drug using self nagged at him.
Without beating around the bush, TK asked the big question.
"How's Kari been going?"
Tai froze. Tears formed in his eyes and began to slide down his cheeks. Tai ran his
fingers through his hair before beginning to speak in soft tones.
"I tried to protect her, TK, I promise I did. But they wouldn't let me back in there. They…they…I know they tried their best, but she's still…she's still…"
Something hit TK hard.
"She's…" TK began as tears formed in his own eyes.
Tai shook his head.
"She'll never be the same…The one time she needed me the most, and I was powerless. I
heard her calling my name…I wanted to run in…It's my fault…"
Impatience ran through TK's blood.
"Tai, I don't care for your stupid riddles and emotional ranting. What happened?" TK shouted. Half the café had turned to stare at them.
Tai became an even worse mess, if that was humanly possible. He let his eyes meet TK's and rose to his feet and hung his head.
"TK…Kari's blind."
