His eyes were like the blue spark of a live wire...'
"Stay well, Little miss..."
'ah...I want to meet him again...'
'Even though...I've been studying here for a week I still can't get used to this place'
"Hitomi-san!"
"Ah, Good morning...Sayaki-san"
Two girls of almost the same height walked together towards the rather grand school door of True Cross Academy. Touma Sayaki and Nise Hitomi. This particular story revolves around the girl, Nise Hitomi.
"Ne,ne, Hitomi-san, have you heard about Okumura-kun?" Sayaki asked, looking every bit excited with the gossip she had.
'truth or lie...?'
Hitomi glanced at her classmate and decided to just tell the truth with a sheepish look on her face, "I'm sorry, Sayaki-san...I haven't got a clue about who that is..."
"Jeez, Hitomi-san...you really should care about your surroundings more often...you see, our year has two Okumura, the older brother, Rin-san and the younger brother, Yukio-kun."
The other girl had a very mischievous looking grin on her face.
Hitomi became cautious about what her classmate might say, "Well then...what seems to be the matter...Sayaki-san?".
The sudden force of being grabbed by the shoulder threw her balance, Hitomi could only gasp without a sound before being steadied by her taller friend, who was pointing out the Okumura Twins.
"Look! look! over there surrounded by girls is Yukio-kun...the one trailing behind him is Rin-san" Sayaki pointed out giddily.
As if hearing them despite their distance, Okumura Rin looked towards them and Sayaki hastily tried to cover them up, however Nise Hitomi could only stare straight at the eyes of Okumura Rin.
"...blue..." she mumbled. Entranced at the vibrant color of his eyes.
The spell broke however when Touma Sayaki pulled her the moment the bell rang. As they passed by him, she wondered if by any chance he was related to that certain exorcist.
Despite walking together to school with Sayaki, Hitomi found no reason to join her or her friends for lunch. Preferring to eat alone somewhere secluded within the Academy grounds. Just as she was about to leave the classroom, an announcement came through.
[Nise Hitomi-san, Nise Hitomi-san of Class 1-2 please proceed to the Faculty Office]
Despite her surprise, Hitomi hurried to the Faculty office with her lunch ignoring the curious looks sent on her way as she left the class room.
"Listen Nise-san, So far you've shown good behaviour however we've noticed you don't spend your time with anyone during breaks." Miss Tourouchi, her class advisor, said glancing at the exemplary student before her. As far as Miss Tourouchi has seen, Nise Hitomi had no problem communicating with her peers rather she seemed to like being alone which was not advisable considering her student's previous circumstance.
Sighing, she took pity to the obviously introverted girl.
"Anyways, try to make friends...I think being with Okumura Rin-kun would do nicely."
"-Eh?"
"Ah, that's right not everyone would know him, Okumura Rin-kun would be your classmate that always has that messy hair...don't worry he's a sweet boy so you shouldn't have any problem making friends with him." Miss Tourouchi said with a winning smile and sent her student off.
Bowing politely, Hitomi left the Faculty Office with a confused mind.
"Miss Tourouchi, wasn't that a bit..."
"It's fine, It's fine don't worry about it. It's killing two birds with one stone" Miss Tourouchi said waving of any concern her coworker had.
"Aren't you afraid that Okumura would be a bad influence on her?" her coworker asked.
Miss Tourouchi only laughed it off and said, " I highly doubt that any of Okumura's stupidity would rub off on her! Wasn't she the second highest entrance passer?"
'Okumura Rin...that guy with a beautiful blue eyes'
"Jeez, where are you even planning to take me?"
'...a dog?'
Despite the dog getting her attention, it was quickly forgotten when the boy came into her line of sight. Okumura Rin, it seemed, was walking his pet dog in the campus hallways.
"Ah! You're the one from earlier!" It also seemed like that he remembered her.
"a-ah, That is...I'm sorry!" Hitomi's voice wobbled out, unused to such a lively person with no sense of boundary.
"Any ways did you need anything from me?" Rin asked tilting his head.
'How...cute'
"Eyes..."
"My eyes?"
"The-they- I thought that they were beautiful!" She exclaimed her face heating up with her admission. Rin however was only happy by the fact that he was finally getting attention from the other sex.
"Hehe...hey hey, do you really think so?" Rin asked bending down a bit to her height.
"Ye-yes" She stuttered, utterly entranced by the up close view of Rin's lively blue eyes.
"I'm Okumura Rin! What about you?"
"Hitomi, Nise Hitomi, Nice to meet you?" she said unsure how such things go.
"Well then, Hitomi-chan let's eat together from now on!"
Taken by his pace Hitomi could only agree however the smile on her face was undeniably genuine.
"Rin-kun don't you have lunch?" Hitomi asked wondering how her newly made friend would eat.
"hahaha...I don't" Rin answered with embarrassment.
"W-would it be fine if you share with mine?" She offered, the sight of his blushing face endearing him to her.
"Eh? Really?!"
"Just for today though..." She said, " Rin-kun could tell me what he wants in his lunch box for tomorrow-eh? Rin-kun?"
For the first time in his teenage life, Okumura Rin would be receiving a lunch box from a girl.
"Hahaha! This makes me really happy! Hitomi-chan, you're god send!" Rin happily said as he sat down and smiled at his friend.
When both of them were seated, Hitomi opened her lunch box showing Rin a simple but well made lunch. Taking the first bite Hitomi happily munched on her food before offering the next bite to Rin. Both of them completely oblivious to how much of a couple they both looked from an outsider's view point.
"Yo! Rin!" Shima Renzou said greeting his friend while slapping his friend on the back in a congratulatory way.
"Yo! Shima...?" Rin was not quite sure what to make of his friend's weird action.
"Maaan! I didn't think you had it in you! hahaha seriously dating Nise Hitomi-chan!"
"Ha? Shi-Shima! You idiot don't make stupid rumours like that!" Rin screamed, embarrassed with the fact that he was being paired with Hitomi, not that he found her ugly. It was just embarrassing since Hitomi was just his friend.
"Ahaha! Rin-chan's spring has arrived early! acting lovey dovey under the tree and having her feed you! Man! I'm jealous!"
"Shut up! She only had one pair so-!" Rin tried to reason out however Yukio had already entered the room and called the class into order.
It was time for Exorcist Cram School to begin.
"Hey, Nise-san, have you experience anything weird while on the baths?" One of her dorm mates asked.
The occupants of the second floor girls dorm were all currently hanging out on the second flour lounge. Nise Hitomi decided to partake on their current bonding activity, finding that she didn't mind spending time with her fellow first years.
"Unless tripping considerably while on the way back to the room is included then not much." She answered with a bit of disappointment as she looked at her left hand.
'Maybe the mashou he...it's impossible for it to not work! stupid Hitomi'
"Hi-hitomi-san, on the way back does it feel like someone's pulling your feet?" Sayaki stammered.
The whole lounge seemed to have been enveloped with some kind of cold dread, upon hearing Sayaki's question despite the earlier laughs shared about Hitomi's answer. Hitomi too started to realize that maybe her frequent trippings after finishing her bath were not that simple. Despite that wanting to gamble on the 40% that her classmate was merely joking, she nodded.
Immediately mutterings broke out and Hitomi was left confused.
"Kyaaaa!H-help!Someone!"
"That voice! Maizono-sempai?!"
All of the girls were afraid to move, fearing what they may see however Hitomi was the first to break out of her fear-induced trance and rush in to help the older student. The rest followed suit the moment they saw their fragile looking dorm mate rush to their sempai. However this were not the thoughts on Hitomi's mind, her thoughts were also no longer on helping the older student but rather it had quickly changed into thoughts of something fun happening to her life, Nise Hitomi, it seemed to equate danger with fun.
'A ghost...if I see it then this...! This would be the proof that it really happened!'
"Maizono-sempai!" She called out once she neared the turn that led to the bath and she faltered in her steps, mouth gaping as her eyes widened at the scary sight that stood before her and the unconscious body of Maizono-sempai. Everyone else who arrived seconds before the ghost with bright red eyes disappeared felt it too.
Somehow that sighting brought back bad memories on everyone who saw it. Hitomi remained staring into thin air the fear that settled unto her bones had yet to subside, those who arrived after the ghost appeared were quick to call upon the dorm master, and the other sempais along with the dorm nurse to aid Maizono-sempai who was unconscious and the students who suddenly collapsed unmoving on the hallway.
"Pages! Today we'll have a mission to see how well you're teamwork is!" Kaoru Tsubaki announced to the class. Immediately Rin started to sit properly in anticipation, excited for his first mission.
"Despite this being a trial mission, the dangers are quite real so take this seriously! Okumura-sensei shall accompany us" Tsubaki-sensei continued turning his back to them to write on the board, explaining the mission as he wrote down the vital information on defeating the ghost on the girls dorm which caught the attention of everyone in particular, Shima and Rin though their reasons were quite different from the other's.
'Isn't that where Hitomi lives?!' Rin thought, worry and fear coiling in the pit of his stomach. He was hoping nothing bad would happen to his new friend. However his hopes were useless when Tsubaki-sensei had told them of the new cassualties mentioning Hitomi's and Maizono-sempai's name. The mention of Hitomi's name made everyone in the class turn to Rin.
"Hey, Shima-kun, isn't Hitomi-san...Rin-kun's girlfriend?" Konekomaru whispered to his friend, worriedly glancing at the stormy expression their fellow page had on his face.
Izumo merely frowned at this and upturned her nose while Paku reprimanded her and sent Rin a consoling smile. Thankfully Rin was too worried for Hitomi's sake to notice anyone's reaction.
"Good evening! Kaoru Tsubaki, Middle First Class. We were called to handle this matter" Tsubaki-sensei said as he showed his identification to the dorm master, Yukio did the same and they were lead to where it happened. Yukio though was sent to the dorm infirmary to check up on the students who collapsed with Rin forcefully tagging along to check up on Hitomi personally.
While Yukio started his rounds, Rin quickly searched for Hitomi and found her at the end of the room staring into her hands. He headed quickly to her side, gently sat on the chair beside her bed.
"Hitomi-chan" Rin called her attention reaching out to the hand she was staring at breaking the trance-like state she had. When Hitomi had came into her senses, the first thing she noticed was the large hand that held hers looking to her side she saw Rin's blue eyes filled with concern. She was still for a second before she throwed herself unto Rin's body, tightly grasping his shirt as she buried her face into his shoulders seeking comfort from his tangible presence.
Rin hugged her and lightly soothed her back, easing the shaking her shoulders were doing.
"Are you hurt?" Rin asked softly.
Hitomi could only shake her head before pressing herself further to Rin's warm body.
"I-i'm fine now..." She said shakily still not bothering to remove her face from Rin's shoulder and Rin let her. Yukio soon made his way to them and Rin gently pried Hitomi from his shoulder to allow Yukio to see if she had recieved any injuries.
A moment later, Yukio confirmed that she had no injuries and only experiened shocked, Rin was relieved to hear this and so was Hitomi but her mind went back to the glaring red eyes the ghost had and she had to repress a shudder.
"Anyways is there anything you could tell us about the ghost?" Yukio asked gently which snapped her out of her deep thoughts.
"I think it was mad about something." she answered with confidence which made Yukio blink back not expecting such an answer for someone who just saw something scary. "Okumura-kun, I have no time to be hysterical that is why please remove that offending surprise look you have." Hitomi answered strongly surprising everyone around her considering how she seemed to be the epitome of femininity.
'Appearances are quite deceiving.' Yukio thought and he sneaked a glanced at his older brother.
"I'm sorry, Hitomi-san, anyways why would you say that it was mad?" Yukio asked getting back into business.
"I went back to what I know about the ghost, the sempais said that it was benovelent so there was no need to worry about it and even the dorm master left it offerings to make sure it wouldn't be malevolent besides it's quite useful to have a ghost hanging around the girls dorm," She answered, " The ghost scares away any pervert attempting to break into the girl's bath."
Yukio sweat dropped at the last part of her sentence however he too arrived into the same conclusion as Hitomi-san and turned around to address the occupants of the room to ask, "Did anyone do something to anger the ghost like, disturbing its territory or the like?".
All the girls however answered no.
Yukio tried to think of anything that might have made the ghost mad and proceed to list them to the students aloud. Rin remained by Hitomi's side and started a soft conversation with her.
"Hitomi-chan, why were you staring at your hand awhile ago?"
The question surprised Hitomi and she stammered out her response,"I-I was thinking about the Mashou I recieved two years ago", it was a complete turnover from her previous attitude.
"-Eh?"
"Ah, two years ago I recieved a mashou from a (*half-) demon" Hitomi explained, " Ever since that day I wanted to become an exorcist but I didn't know how to enroll..." Hitomi laugh at her ignorance,"All I knew that it was here in True Cross that's why I decided to study here however I only got odd looks when I asked about the exorcist school."
"Hitomi-chan! It's still not late for you to join!" Rin said with determination.
"-E-eh? Really?" Hitomi asked feeling the happiness at her chance to see that exorcist again.
"Un" Rin nodded.
"Hey, Yukio!" Rin called his younger brother and gestured for him to come closer and Yukio obliged despite his confusion, " What is it, Nii-san?".
"Hitomi-chan wants to join the cram school!" Rin answered and Yukio looked at him to Hitomi and back to his older brother before sighing in defeat and promised to help her out in filling the forms for her enrollment into the cram school. Rin cheered and Hitomi laugh happy at the turn of events. Soon the Okumura brothers left to deal with the ghost and Hitomi was left in the infirmary with the other female students who bombarded her with questions and comments once the Okumura brother's were out of hearing distance.
"Hitomi-san, You're lucky to have such a caring boy friend!"
"I didn't know that the older Okumura could actually be that gentle..."
"Hey, Nise-san when did Rin-kun ask you out?"
"Do you have a preference for delinquents?"
"Have you kissed with Okumura-kun yet?"
Hitomi was confused about it and was close to panicking not quite used to this kind of bonding with her fellow females, Maizono-sempai who remained resting on the side took pity on her and told the girls off.
"Oi! Hitomi-san is just as injured as the rest of us, so lighten up and don't crowd her!" Maizono scolded them.
"Yes!" The girls chorused and chuckled.
"Hitomi-san, Thank you for rushing to help me" Maizono-sempai said and gave her a grateful smile and Hitomi blushed at the attention she was recieving making Maizono laugh. "But really, Hitomi-san I didn't even know Okumura Rin could be that gentle! He must be feeling lucky to have you as a girlfriend!" She teased and Hitomi blushed even further.
"W-we're just friends! Jeez!" Hitomi insisted.
The light atmosphere disappeared when the lights went out suddenly and a loud scream pierced the air. The room delved into panic as everyone tried to find the light switch. That panic turned to outright fear when they heard a chilling voice. Immediately Hitomi tried to find the sodium nitrate in drawers of the medicine cabinet, Hitomi frantically scrambled in the dark ignoring the chaos behind her.
However,
W̽͛̉̽͊́̈ͫ͌͡͏̗̰̰͚̣H̡̥̺̲̺̤̙̥̩͎̳̭ͨͪ͑̃̍̐̃ͩ̅̃̀A̢̢̲̠͉̱̝̤͈̣̼̦̺̯̒ͪ̄͌̆̒̀́͟T̨̠̹̠̣̞̤̗͗̾̔̊̐ͬ̔ͣ̓ͩ͛ͫͩ͂ͦ̚̚̕͟ ͬ̅̔͑͆̔͒ͫͯ͆͘҉͈͉̩̣̼̖̤̪̣̼̜ͅA̧̮̝͎͓̩̳̤͔̘̱̼̫͒͗͗ͪͥ͒̀ͭ͗̂ͭ́͠R̾̆ͣ̾͏̡̮̦͍͇̟̳̪̝͇E̡͒̐ͬ͛̏͂ͨ͆̓̀̉͒͋͊̂ͫ̌͞҉̩͔͉͙̤̯͔̠̜̭̱͉̳̭͚̙̰͙ ̧̪̟͇̘̰̺̤͎͍̜͇̘̱͛ͩ̐͊̽́Y̶̴̬̹͇̙͕͊̈́̆̂̈ͧ͂̑̌ͪͨ̿ͩͨ͢͜ͅǪͯ͊̑͒̋̿̎͊̋ͤ͌̄͒ͦͫ͒̾҉̰̭̼͖͓͖̕̕U̮̜͎͈̬̳̦̜̬͔̩̝͍̦̍̋͗ͯ͆͊̊ͧ̐̊ͮͯ͋̐̎ͫ̀͝͝ ͦ̉͂̇̑ͤ͆̒̃͋̈ͫͯ̾͢͏҉̼̬̹̻͕̠̝̯̜̣͙̮̯̬̬̟̗ͅD̵̖̭͈̹̓̈͊̿̿͟͞͝O̸̰̹̥͚̟͎͖̫̹̪̭ͩ͆̅͊̀͊͞͡͡Į͙͔̜͕̥̪̟̰̭̟͇̣͓̮̋̆͆͌͐̉̍̑ͧ́ͅŅ̵̵̧̺̝̮̤̙͔̻̯̺̮̑̔ͬ̈́̀͂ͫͮ̌̂̄͛͐̚Ğ̊͐̑̋ͫ͛̎͂̋ͨ̋̄̎̎͘͏͈̪͈̖̝̟͙̥͇̳̭̤̙͇̹͍̤͘͟͞?̞̲̳̱̖̹̦̞̱͓͇͙͎̣͍̳̒ͯ̈̌͢͢͡͞
Hitomi quickly scrambled back letting out small whimpers as she could not look away from the blood shot eyes of the malevolent ghost.
She quickly glanced at the floor where bottles spilled trying to locate the sodium.
Ţ̴̷̘̭̫̠͖̲̖̲̯̟͘͡ȩ̸̝̳̻͉̤͜͞l͓͇͎̱̲̹̠͟l͕̜̗̀ͅ ̶̧̯̝̗̭͖͓̟͇͓̩̞̫͓̠͠m̷̵҉̱̘̮̙͎̤̟e̸̝̖̪̺̝͓̕͘
Hitomi however could not summon her voice. The ghost was obviously getting angrier and soon everything in the room cluttered to the ground before the ghost disappeared into thin air. Hitomi shakily stood up and grabbed the sodium nitrate however she felt a presence behind her and knew that it was the ghost, quickly she turned around just as she was about to be thrown to the wall, she aimed at the ghost and throwed the sodium at it.
When Rin had heard the shouts from the infirmary, he had rushed there ignoring the calls for him and dread filled him when he reached the door and could not for all his strength open the door. He was close to ripping it off its hinges, when he heard the ghost talk even he was filled with fear.
'I really hate ghosts' He thought as he frantically went back to opening the door just in time to hear something hitting the wall. When Rin had finally opened the door he saw the unconscious form of Hitomi, bleeding from the head and slumped on the wall beside the bed she occupied.
"Hitomi!"
The room erupted into a blaze of beautiful blue flames.
"Hey, How come you never smile?"
"-Eh? But Exorcist-san I'm always smiling?"
The older male frowns and a younger Hitomi for the first time had a genuine expression on her face, confusion.
"That's it! I'll make you smile at the same time exorcise that demon."
"Exorcist-san..."
"Blue...flames?"
"Stay back!"
"Ojou-chama! Get away from that demon!"
"B-but! Exorcist-san!"
"I'm sorry...you had to find out this way..."
'Ah...Exorcist-san, please don't look so sad...'
"A-ah, I'm sorry I'm making you cry."
"E-exorcist-san, p-please don't look so sad...uuu"
"E-eh?"
"I-I was truly happy whenever you came by to visit me! That's why...I'm sure those beautiful blue flames would never harm me!"
"Even though I'm a demon?"
"You being a demon has no bearing at all, that is why...won't you tell me your name-"
"Exorcist-san..."
From the darkness of her subconscious, Hitomi could feel warmth enveloping her small body, the feeling of nostalgia seeps in. That specific warmth she yearns for, from that person that gave her the freedom she sought.
'ahh...this flames...so beautiful...'
Her eyes then took notice of the familiar back of that exorcist and happiness swelled from within. However it was only a momentary bliss.
"I won't forgive you for hurting her!"
"R-Rin!"
Even though the blue flames she thought of as beautiful did not belong to the one she yearned for, Hitomi, could only remain transfixed at the steady back of her friend, who carried the same flames that which symbolizes Satan. Weakly she tried to stand wanting to go and help her friend.
"R-rin" she called out to him as she took small steps towards the one that came to save her. With all the courage she could muster she reached out and hugged him, taking away whatever anger the boy had for the ghost.
"I'm fine now...because you're here that's why...please don't hurt her any more."
"Hi-hitomi"
"Rin-kun, Thank you for coming..." she said softly, reaching out to wipe away the tears that pooled in his eyes.
W̢̺̲̤̲̜̯̰i̻̜̤̳l̡͙̞͈̘͕ḻ̻̝̀ ͉͖̣ͅṉ̘̝̱̱̣͍o̭ ̷oń̩̭̪̮͔̲e̘͚̪̙̣̰͇͘ ̶̘̥͍͉c̲͖̬̟͙̭͙o̜̫͔̯̺ͅm̗̺̯̳͍e҉̖̯̱ ̴̩̲̠̼͉͉f̪̖̙͍̝͙o̴r̰̘͚̱ ̭̼͔̦m̳͝e͚̦̟̻͔̹̤ ̨̰̠̪̞̪̰̘to̩͎͈̱̤͉̤̕o̯̜̘̼͞?͝
"Mayuki-san, Even though the person you've been waiting for might not come...I'm sure that one day someone would come for you...even if they might not know it" Hitomi said softly to the ghost who suddenly did not seem that scary. It was a bit anticlimactic for the ghost to vanish without trace however despite the things that happened.
Nise Hitomi was able to laugh from the depths of her heart.
"I like this sincere smile of yours more"**
"Nii-san" Yukio grounded out feeling quite annoyed with the fact that his older brother had already exposed himself to someone.
"O-okumura-kun, please don't be mad anymore...b-besides everyone believed that Rin and I used Holy Fire so..."
Yukio could only sigh further, 'however Nii-san having a friend that knows the truth would be good for him...still'
"Nise Hitomi-san this knowledge comes with a heavy price." Yukio began and Hitomi steeled herself as Rin looked in disbelief at his younger brother.
"From now on, if anyone were to know that you've willingly became friends with the Son of Satan, you would be seen as a traitor, are you prepared for that kind of burden?"
If it was to gain strength or reassure his older brother, Yukio would never know why she took his brother's hand only that at that moment it felt like she had done something like this before.
"Being friends with Rin-kun would never be a burden! Come hell or high water, I'll face anyone who'll take me away from Rin-kun!
This were the words she spoke with such conviction one would be able to believe in her words. Her words that seemed to overflow with love and trust as if she was proclaiming her love for the person beside her. For Yukio this was enough for now, he was content to have the knowledge that someone would be there for his brother other than him.
"Then Nise-kun, I'll be seeing you tomorrow at the exorcist cram school."
"Rin-kun, Rin-kun! I'll be with you more now!"
"Yeah! It'd be great to spend a lot of time with you, Hitomi-chan!"
"Rin-kun! I'm so happy!"
It only seemed appropriate to give her his best regards. Even if he wondered when the two would let go of each other's hand.
'Are you guys really not dating?'
"Nice to meet you! I'm Nise Hitomi, even though I started late I definitely won't slow you down!"
Everyone except for the Okumura brothers were surprise, Yukio had a stoic look while Rin was visibly happy with this turn of events. If Rin had his tail out, it would definitely be wrapped around her waist the moment Hitomi sat beside him.
It was time for Exorcist Cram School to begin.
A/N: Even though it has been a long time since I went into this fandom...reading fanfictions of this fandom really brings back those emotions I felt when I read about Rin for the first time, hahahaha, somehow I seem to like Rin's type a lot (lol). I always wondered what would happen if someone like Rin met a heroine like Hitomi?
* unspoken
** a small thought of Hitomi