"Write something meaningful," he started with a waiver in his voice that could only be described as hesitancy, "something that delves into the colors of your life." It was of no surprise to him that the young, mildly over-enthusiastic, substitute language teacher had suggested an assignment so vague and... impossible. Yes, that seemed to be a very suitable word at the moment. There were so many things left to be defined that he wouldn't even know where to begin his questioning. Does it need to be a paragraph? A page? Several pages? What all consists of the colors of one's life? And how would one know if that depth was reached without, at least, an example essay?
But most importantly...
"Ooohh, this sounds like it's going to be fun! It's not very often that we get to be this creative in our papers. We're usually writing about something so boring. This will at least get to be more... expressive!" The overly-excited brunette hovering next to him continued to ramble, listing off possible ideas, discussing important matters of how to write this baffling paper, where, when, under what circumstances... etcetera. But he heard none of it, didn't even notice that she had spoken at all, because all he cared about was, "how are we supposed to write this?"
Fifteen-year-old Risa Harada was cut short by his question. What could he possibly find confusing about such a delightful assignment? This was a rare opportunity to explore ones inner self, find something - anything - that was worth treasuring, and putting it down on paper. And it would not be a simple case of sputtering some truthfully irrelevant event or feeling and stating it as something more. You couldn't just open a new file on your computer and type down some random memory that holds no significance. It just didn't work that way.
"What do you mean, Hiwatari?" The bluenette turned to face Risa, his cobalt orbs locking directly with her mahogany ones. She could plainly see the uncertainty and aggravation oozing from them, and she could safely say that it was a look that did not suit him well. He'd been working so hard since Krad disappeared to soften his stony gaze. You wouldn't believe the man he'd turned into unless you'd seen it with your own eyes. Risa was definitely glad to say that she had. Eyes that, although still guarded by his useless spectacles, were no longer unpleasantly surprising. They had lost their overall icy appearance over the course of a year, leaving behind the most gorgeous shade of blue that she'd never admit to having seen. Honestly, something like that would be so embarrassing.
But those same pretty eyes were searching for answers within hers that she just couldn't seem to give without further explanation. "This assignment. It's cryptic enough as it is, but... how are you supposed to write about a meaningful event with a partner? Especially when those partners have spent minimal time together?" She abruptly interjected herself with a, "but we have spent time together! We're not best friends or anything, but you and I have... well..." she trailed off momentarily, trying her best to find that right word to describe the two of them. After the passing of several moments, she decided to answer him with, "we have a relationship, O.K.? I don't really know what you'd call it, but... it's there."
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he desperately searched the corners of his mind for memories of the both of them. It wasn't that he had trouble remembering the things they'd been through together, he could recall it like it was yesterday, but... he just didn't seem to know what to do with all of that information. How was it supposed to help him write this essay?
Risa had pulled him out of his own head long enough to inform him that they'd have to meet up after school. She said that he should wait outside of the main doors and not wander off so she could find him.
So he did.
He waited at the base of the steps, still sorting through all of his old memories. His back ached every time one of them was linked to Krad. Like when he barrowed his power to save Risa from falling from Argentine's tower. The feeling of his wings ripping through his back might not have hurt him then, but it reminded him further of every other time that it had. And such painful memories made him shudder and he shook his head in an effort to forget. He had no use for resurfaced memories like that, and even if he did, it would certainly not help them write this paper.
But supposedly Risa would and he realized that he'd been waiting a good ten minutes after the final bell and she had yet to show up. He pushed himself away from the pillar he'd been leaning on and turned to look up the stairs at the door. Students of all kinds were still pouring out in trickles, but the building was far from empty. He mused at how grandiose Azumano High School was compared to its middle school counterpart. It really looked like a castle, it was extravagant and magnificent. Compared to the other three high schools in the area, this was clearly the biggest, and most decorated, one.
He briefly remembered the puzzled look on Daisuke's face when he saw him on their first day of school. He'd rushed up to him in a bewildered excitement, practically knocking him over as he said, "Hiwatari! What are you doing here?" The ever cool Satoshi gave his best reply as, "High school is the next practical step after one graduates from middle school, isn't it?" The two laughed together as he explained his belief that continuing to attend school like a normal kid his age would help him gain a sense of real life and that it would teach him how to behave like the person he really was.
It was a fond memory he had, but he quickly noted that it also would not help him. Risa was not part of that memory at all, and no matter how 'colorful' it was to him, it was still useless. But just as he thought that, a cascade of chocolate tresses came bobbing down the steps, promptly accompanied by the annoyed expression on Risa's face. "I'm sorry I'm so late, Hiwatari! The art teacher wanted to have a word with me about my failing gra-" she let her wards fall short as she realized that she was revealing a little bit too much about her academic performance to the genius. Not to mention that he was an incredibly gifted artist. He'd probably just think she was silly and a bit pitiful for having such a poor mark.
"Anyway, I'm done now and I'm glad that you waited. Your apartment is close by, isn't it?" He nodded his head in response to her and she beamed at him. "Great! I think we should just go there and write this paper. Due to certain, erm, how should I put this... circumstances, I have quite a bit of homework to do for the end of the week. Looks like we'll be pulling off this paper today." He had already pieced together what had happened, and he allowed his lips to curl into the tiniest of smiles before motioning for her to follow him.
They walked down the familiar path to his apartment, Risa briefly remembering seeing him on his way to school one morning. Their paths had never once crossed before, but that morning, they had. She questioned him profusely and he answered her hastily that he had just moved into to the new apartment complex on her route. She scolded him for sounding so rude and it took him several minutes to fully awaken himself and apologize. Krad hadn't been gone for very long yet and he wasn't exactly the most sociable person when he first woke up. He had to explain that to her, as well. How he had managed to sleep through most of his alarm until the incessant beeping threatened to drive him mad. When he got out of bed to thoroughly demolish the annoying contraption, it was only then that he realized how late he was running. He threw on a wrinkled uniform, tossed everything into his bag, and headed out the door. His exhaustion set back in and then she showed up to play a round of twenty questions with him.
She giggled absentmindedly in the midst of her silent humming and it caught Hiwatari's attention. He carefully analyzed her from the corner of his eyes, for no apparent reason, he noted. He found himself oddly distracted by her free falling locks and swaying hips. The way her right hand loosely gripped her school bag as she swung it around carelessly. Her left hand moved in unison with her right and he could tell that she was absolutely comfortable in the curious world of her mind. She didn't seem to be bothered at all by his presence, nor did she seem to notice his obvious staring. Corner of his eyes or not, he had a funny way of letting people know he was watching them. They could always seem to feel him. Someone told him once that it was the curse of having such piercing, vibrant eyes such as his. And though at the time he dismissed such a remark, he silently mused about what his luck might have been like if he'd had warmer eyes. Perhaps ones like Risa's.
His attention was refocused as they approached his apartment. He dug around in his pocket for his room key as he used his other hand to enter the key code to buzz them into the building. Risa had only even been inside a handful of times. It wasn't often that she visited her classmate, especially not on her own. She'd usually come over with Daisuke and Riku, but they'd only ever stay for a few minutes. She came over once on her own, she remembered, but that was only to bring him some notes. He and Daisuke had both gotten sick close to the end of last year, so while Riku ran off to Daisuke's, Risa was in charge of bringing things to Hiwatari. She rang the bell for several people, all of whom weren't Hiwatari, until someone exiting the building was kind enough to let her in and give her his room number. She spent an eternity knocking on his door until he finally answered her.
And as they entered his living room, she remembered that it looked exactly the same as that day. He'd been so terribly sick that she thought she might die if she touched him. She tried to offer him his notes, but he was too weak to hold much of anything. She was given no choice but to go inside and set everything down. He mumbled a quick 'thank you' and began the painful trek back to his bedroom. She felt so bad for him, but she didn't know what to do. He had so little furnishings and his kitchen looked empty. She offered to stay and help him for awhile, but he waved her away and sealed himself in his room. She left and he returned to school a week later, perfectly prepared to take their final exams. And he'd passed with flying colors, no less.
"I wonder how you did that," she accidently said aloud. He turned to look at her with a quizzical expression and her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Nothing, never mind," she said, feeling embarrassed for talking out loud to herself. He set his bag down on one side of his coffee table and scurried off elsewhere to grab his laptop. Risa assumed she was free to take the other side of his couch and made herself comfortable. He returned but not a moment later and set up his computer so they could begin working.
"Would you like anything to drink, Miss Harada?" She glared daggers at him before saying, "It's Risa. I don't know how many times I've told you that you can call me that." Half-rolling his eyes, Hiwatari said, "Right, Risa. I don't see you calling me Satoshi." She immediately began to attack him with all of the reasons as to why she didn't. It was weird, she said. He'd never offered to let her, she said. Various forms of the two excuses dribbled from her mouth and he smirked in amusement. He'd come to realize that he enjoyed teasing her. He didn't do it heavily or excessively, just enough to push her buttons a little. He'd do it on the rare occasions that they'd actually spend more than a few minutes together. Today was a good day, he knew, because as far as he was concerned, she was going to be over for a very long time.
They'd set to work on laying out some guidelines that he could follow. For instance, they agreed upon a single page for the length of their essay. Whatever memories they shared together, they need not go into too much detail. Most of them were from a year ago. No one needed to know that he was Krad, no one needed to know that she'd been captured inside the mirror Insomnia and he had to go rescue her (they especially didn't need to know that she couldn't remember Dark's face, but his easily came to mind), and no one needed to know that he'd used her as a model so he could cross-dress as a woman. Some things were just meant to be kept between two people.
But with that being said, their options for a topic were severely limited. Risa suggested something more recent, something long after the days of Dark and Krad, but nothing really came to mind. Things had been pretty plain, pretty ordinary, and pretty slim. They didn't talk much, really. Neither one of them admitted to being technically friends and they were far too ridiculous to simply ask one another. He didn't want to embarrass himself by asking her to define their relationship and she didn't know how she felt about having that kind of connection to the glasses-wearing bluenette.
"We have to think of something, Miss Harada. Maybe we don't need a memory, maybe a feeling would be easier." She blinked at him, taken aback by his suggestion. What kind of feeling could they possibly write about? "You mean, like, how we feel about each other?" She quickly covered her mouth, realizing how her question came off, and she was even more embarrassed when she saw the pink tint gracing his cheeks. "That isn't exactly what I had in mind," he started, "I was thinking more along the lines of a feeling in one of those situations. For example, when you were falling from Argentine's tower, I felt scared. I was desperate."
She removed her hands from her face, her thorough embarrassment completely washed away. She was curious now, interested if you will. "You were scared?" He folded his hands as he slouched forward, his eyes never leaving his computer screen. He took a quick breath before he continued, "yes, of course I was. You were falling. You would have died. I was really scared when I saw that there was no way Dark would be able to get to you in time." She turned a deeper shade of red as she nodded. It makes sense, she agreed, that he wouldn't want to watch her die. She could accept that.
"Well, if that's the case... I suppose... I was really happy when we walked home together. You remember, it was that day that you were 'studying' me because I was, what did you call me? 'The perfect female subject' or something like that."
"You were happy?" He could have sworn that her face read aggravation and annoyance. He'd asked to walk home with her so suddenly, and especially with how bizarre that had all turned out, she still claims to have been happy? She smiled a small smile for him as she looked off in another direction. "Yeah, I know it sounds strange, but... I guess I was happy to get a better look at you. You took off your glasses for me and I guess... I guess I felt close to you for a moment. I felt special; no one else was ever allowed near you. Sounds kind of dumb now that I say it out loud."
He paused to look at her for a moment. He could tell by her comical way of beating herself up that she revealed more than she would have liked to. Still, he was touched by her honesty. He didn't realize how untouchable he had seemed. He figured he was just distanced, exactly as he should have been. Still, he felt he owed her something. An equally embarrassing story, or something. "Well, if it makes you feel any better... I was kind of upset when I saw you with Dark at that dance party last year. I know it was just before things had started to get real crazy. Right up until his disappearance and all, but... I suppose it's technically called jealousy, though I couldn't place it at the time."
Oh how the tide had turned. When did this simple writing assignment get so personal and... revealing? Risa questioned him, dying to know why he would be jealous. She was having a moment with the man she used to love, though she also supposed he didn't know that. It took her awhile to come to terms with the fact that, although she loved him, she had already let him go. It was with great reluctance, she knew, but... her maturity had told her to release him.
"The only logical conclusion I can come to about that night is that I was shocked. Dark was a flirtatious and wild man, he had no solid relationships with anyone other than Daisuke. In the beginning, the only times he'd help you were at Daisuke's command. And then even when he kind of came around to you, he was never really there. The art always took priority over you." She wanted to press him further, still unsure of what he was trying to get at. She admitted that he had a point, though it hurt her to accept it. That night at the museum, he was too busy making his getaway to rescue her and Hiwatari had to. They fell, they were wet, and it was him who got them out and escorted her home. He walked around town in the middle of the night dressed in drag to make sure that she got home safely. And it was him who entered Insomnia to talk to her. To help guide her and enable her escape. Dark came in for Daisuke, for the most part, though he wouldn't leave without her, too. He put his fight with Argentine above freeing her from the tower. It was Hiwatari who was there, not him.
Her thoughts immediately shot back to their previous walk home. She had been happy. Once she departed from him, she remembered feeling strangely attached to the world around her. She stopped to stare up at the sky before crossing the street back to her house. Something about the warmth of the sun that day was absolutely amazing. She felt like she was soaking it all up, all of that radiating glory. Like it was just for her at that moment. She started humming a melody that she'd never heard before, as if it would draw out something wonderful from all of these confusing feelings and thoughts.
Hiwatari closed his eyes the moment he heard her soft vibrating. She wasn't at all musical, but the sound was still lovely somehow. He felt as if he knew exactly what she was getting at, even though she was at a loss herself. Something about the vibrant sunlight was enchanting, it was euphoric, and most important of all... it was meaningful.
"What are you thinking about right now, Risa?" He was trying to hone in on her thoughts, feeling like whatever they were, he need to swiftly brush his fingers over the keys of his laptop. The moment seemed fleeting and he absolutely couldn't risk what could be the best essay he'd ever write slip away from him. He listened as she continued to hum before she mumbled, "never seen the sun shine brighter... and it feels like me... on a good day." The melody kept her enveloped inside her own reverie, so much so that she couldn't even comment on the fact that he'd finally used her first name.
But Hiwatari could care less about her dreamy state, though the serene look on her face sent quite a few thoughts that he'd never had before rushing through his head. He quickly pounded the keys and began typing, running with what little words she gave him. He could swear that they were sharing the same thoughts, or at the very least, the same feelings about this. Even though he didn't stop to admire the suns mystical beauty that day, he felt as if he could describe it even better than she could. And being the genius that he was, being as wordy and talented as he was, it took him virtually no time at all to type up their page long essay.
He had failed to notice that not long into his typing, Risa had stopped humming. She moved very delicately as to not disturb him, and she found her way to the back of the couch. From there, she read over his shoulder and marveled at the beauty of his words. If he was this elegant and graceful with a mere essay, she could only imagine what he could do with poetry. The thought made her cheeks go pink for the umpteenth time that day, but she didn't bother to hide it anymore. He wasn't paying attention to her anyway.
"It's perfect, Satoshi. I'm sure we'll do great on this assignment." She had meant for it be a whisper for only her to ear.
They had fine-tuned their paper, claiming it to be a true masterpiece. Hiwatari printed it out and tucked it away in his folder for tomorrow. They were both shocked at how late it had gotten, time seemed to fly when you were busy thinking and prodding, revealing secrets and feelings, and writing the greatest story they'd ever know. Risa quickly pulled out her phone and called her sister. She certainly got an ear-full of that. It was then that she grabbed her things in order to leave.
"Thanks for letting me come over, I'm sorry I stayed so late. At least we got that paper done." It was all she said before turning to head downstairs and outside. But Hiwatari being as slick as he was, he had to throw her one last curve ball for the night. "I don't remember giving you permission to use my first name. Didn't you say that's why you never used it, Risa?" She didn't even bother to look back at him, her face was beyond scarlet and she could not give him the satisfaction of seeing her that way.
And with one last remark before breaking out into a jog up the street, she said, "I guess I don't care anymore about having your permission, Satoshi, I think I'll call you whatever I want. We're friends now right?"
And he smiled as he watched her go, her burgundy tresses trailing behind her. He hummed to the empty air around him, "and it feels like me... on a good day."
"A/N: Yes, there is a reference here. Those words are, in fact, lines to the song On a Good Day (Above & Beyond Club Mix) by Oceanlab. Fell in love with it and then I had to write about it. Deal with the OOC because it's set a year in the future. Reviews are loved. Always."