A/N: Welcome. Yes, it's been a while, I know. But I've come back with something that I believe you guys are gonna like. So, happy reading! Oh and for future reference, I took out the zodiac curse. I just feel the story would go better without it. I'm sorry if that disappoints some of my readers.
Key: Flashbacks
--- - Regular breaks
"Can you believe it, guys?" Hitomi Soto was stretched out upon her best friend Lieko Mine's blue rugged floor. She, Leiko and their best friend Shina Ito were enjoying the rest of their slumber party, a ritual they would do to bring in the upcoming school year. "We're going to be seniors tomorrow! Four years!" She reached her hand into the red popcorn bowl next to her, grabbing as much as she could and stuffing it into her mouth roughly.
Hitomi, Leiko and Shina were best friends since grade school. Hitomi and Leiko had known each other since they were 2, and while in grade school, they met Shina. The threesome seemed to never leave each other's side, though they couldn't have been more different. Hitomi was the self proclaimed leader of the pack, who's outspoken and flamboyant personality could easily get the girls in trouble. Once, she made one of the school security officers cry after he tried to write them up for being late to class. Since Shina and Leiko were with her, all three girls got a week's detention. Hitomi's personality was by no means shadowed by her looks. She stood about 5'5, had long brown hair that reached her hips, in which she often dyed outlandish colors (for the first day of school, she'd dyed it hot pink), and had piercings in her nose and ears. To accent her "individuality", she wore different colored eye liner and lipstick, which often matched the color of her hair or the mood she was in. Leiko Mine was very different, yet not a long stretch away from Hitomi. She was vey dim-witted and often regarded as an airhead to her friends and even to some members of her family. She was very happy-go-lucky and could make the saddest individual jump for joy. She also seemed to be, not only fascinated with sex, but also very educated on the subject. Though all three girls could be regarded as pretty, Leiko was, without a doubt, the most beautiful of the bunch. Her dirty blonde hair was mostly tied in two long braids, freckles inhabited her nose and rosy cheeks, and her deep blue eyes accented her features. She was rather short, about 5'0 and was very well endowed. Last but not least, Shina Ito was, without a doubt, the brains of the group. One of the reasons why Hitomi and Leiko became friends with her was because of how adept she was. When she started at their grade school, she would answer all the questions (correctly) and ace her tests without a problem. The kids began to make fun of her and wouldn't talk to her before Hitomi and Leiko befriended her after finding her eating lunch alone. Shina had come from a family of doctors and lawyers, paving the way for her future. She was about 5'3, and had shoulder length dark brown hair in which she swept back in a dark blue head band. Shina was the voice of reason to the group, providing piece of mind and even, sometimes, lectures that the group so badly needed. These completely different girls were also friends with a group of boys who seemed to match each girl to a tee.
Ayame Sohma, Hatori Sohma, and Shigure Sohma had been friends with the Hitomi, Leiko and Shina since their last year of grade school. Though the girls never dated the guys, one would almost assume that each boy belonged with one of the girls. Leiko and Shigure had been eying each other since they'd laid eyes on one another. Lieko had even told Hitomi and Shina that she'd lost her virginity to Shigure in the back of Ayame's car after a wild party during the last few months of their 3rd year of high school. Ayame and Hitomi mixed like water and oil. They were always at each other's throats, teasing and taunting, though there would always be that "moment" between them that they would show each other that they really do care for one another but it was always interrupted by a smart remark from one of them. Hatori and Shina seemed to be made for one another. But they both were completely delirious about it. Both incredibly shy around one another, afraid of what the other would say if they spilled their feelings.
Shina hugged her bare legs close to her chest and smiled at Hitomi. "I can't help but feel somewhat superior already."
Hitomi scoffed, smiling at her best friend. "You should! You're, what? The ONLY female on the student council board."
Shina nodded as she took a sip from her glass of water and enjoyed the sound her name being associated with the student council board.
"Chea." Leiko laughed, typing away at her computer. "I think Shinsuke liked her because he would NEVER let a woman replace him. Remember what the board looked like when we were 1st years?!"
"Yeah. What a sexist asshole." Hitomi frowned, thinking of past treasurer Shinsuke Saki who was infamous for being a sexist and not allowing any women serve on the board, often talking the presidents into choosing inept male students to take the place of educated and well-prepared female students.
"Well, I think I've got Ayame to thank for that as well." Shina smiled at Hitomi, who rolled her eyes and grabbed at the red bowl for more popcorn.
"Eh…" Hitomi responded, chewing on a few unpopped kernels.
"I wonder what those three are up to?" Shina stretched out on the floor next to Hitomi, smiling.
"Yeah." Hitomi sighed as she did the same. "I've really missed them." She quickly sat up and addressed both Shina and Leiko. "Do you two realize that the last time we've seen them was two full months ago?"
"And a few weeks! Don't forget those few weeks!" Lieko added, smiling at Hitomi from her computer screen as if she'd contributed a lot to the conversation.
Hitomi rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Leiko. Two months and a few weeks. But as much as those three boys get on my nerves, I really miss all of them. Hatori, Shigure, and even Ayame."
Leiko dramatically draped the back of her hand over her forehead. "Oh, God. Please. Don't say his name. Every time I hear it, my heart breaks one more time."
"Leiko, you and Shigure aren't even dating." Shina sat up and crossed her arms over her chest.
Leiko's cheeks slowly turned a bright pink. "So. We've shared….a special event in our lives." She looked down at her lap in which she fumbled with her hands.
Shina and Hitomi glanced at one another with raised eyebrows.
CHA-LING!
Lieko looked up at her computer screen and smiled. "Speak of the devil."
---
Ayame and Shigure were stretched out on Hatori's bed as Hatori typed away at Ayame's student council presidential speech, in which he was to give tomorrow.
"Oh, Shigure. How these months have been incredible being next to you." Ayame placed his hand upon Shigure's cheek.
"Aya, how wonderful this love has become. Just the two of us, it is." Shigure responded caressing Ayame's hand.
"YES!" The two suddenly sprang apart and placed their fists together in an action of victory.
"Ugh. Will you two stop that already?" Hatori grumbled from behind his computer screen.
"Oh, Ha'ri. Whatever's the matter?" Ayame clapped his hands together and mock-frowned at his obviously busy best friend.
"I have to type up this very important speech for you and you two are over there playing. Now let's get this done before the night ends."
Shigure glanced at his watch. "Ha'ri, it's only 4 PM."
Hatori glanced at Shigure from behind his computer screen. "I know."
"Okay, okay." Ayame and Shigure slid from off of the bed to the side, sitting on the floor. "What've ya got for me?"
"Here. I'm going to print it out now and you can read over it. I've gotta use the restroom. I'll be back."
Ayame and Shigure followed Hatori with their eyes as he exited his room. As soon as the door closed, they hopped to Hatori's computer, minimized Ayame's speech and clicked on his instant message box. Lieko was online.
"She's on! She's on! MOVE!" Shigure pushed Ayame away from the computer and began to type away to the girl that he'd missed since he'd left for vacation those two months (and weeks) earlier.
"Well, excuse me!" Ayame huffed, placing his hands on his hips.
"Hi!"
"Hi? That's what you pushed me so violently for was to merely say hi?" Ayame crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows at his friend.
Shigure slowly smiled at Ayame, his cheeks the color of roses.
"Hi Hatori! We were just talking about you guys."
Ayame burst into laughter. "SHE THINKS YOU HA'RI!! HAHA! Serves you right! You almost killed your student council president."
"Grr! Shutup! I AM on Ha'ri's name!"
"What are you girls doing tonight?"
---
"What….are….you….girls….doing tonight? Tell him nothing." Hitomi responded to the message Leiko had just received from who they thought was Hatori. She and Shina were now hovering over Leiko, reading their conversation and desperate for a response.
Leiko quickly typed back. "Oh nothing. Where's Shigure?"
"LEIKO!!!" Hitomi and Shina both yelled at their blonde-haired companion in unison.
"Hey! I'm the one typing here!"
---
"Look, Aya! She misses me, too!!" Shigure pointed at the screen happily staring at Ayame, who was brushing off his long sleeves.
"I'm right here, Leiko! I've missed you terribly these past months. I've longed for your touch, longed for the smell of your beautiful golden hair, longed for those big blue eyes! I need to see you!"
"Oh, Shigure." Ayame leaned against the wall, watching Shigure bubble up with happiness. "You've left me for that blonde fluesy."
Shigure stood up straight, looking at Ayame. "Is that how you really feel about Leiko?"
"Oh, you're no fun." Ayame responded, kicking himself off the wall and walking towards the computer.
---
"Oh my gosh!" Leiko clapped her hands together and cheesed so hard her cheeks began to burn.
"What?" Shina leaned closer to the screen.
"Oh, God." Hitomi shook her head and crossed her arms as she understood what was going on. "Move it!" Hitomi grabbed the keyboard from in front of Leiko and began typing away.
"Hey!" Leiko yelled, staring at Hitomi as if she were some maniac.
"Dammit! Shina and I don't wanna see you and Shigure cakin' up over this thing. If we do, we'll be here all day!"
Leiko meekly looked at Shina, who merely shrugged. "All day and night."
"Shigure, this is Hitomi. We've got nothing to do for the rest of the day. What do you say we meet up at Kahichi's and hang?"
---
"Hm. Kahichi's to see the girls? Tell her yeah." Ayame observed, almost freezing his eyes at the mention of Hitomi's name.
Though he didn't show it much, Ayame was very fond of Hitomi, finding himself admiring her to the point of being extremely attracted to her. Of course, he couldn't TELL anybody this. Especially Hitomi.
Just as Shigure's finger hovered over the enter button to seal the deal, Hatori strolled into the room, holding a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He slowly looked to his left to find Shigure and Ayame standing over the computer, blushing and looking like two frightened little boys. Hatori's eyes narrowed.
"And exactly WHAT are YOU TWO doing?" Hatori walked towards the computer to see what his two friends were currently up to. "Have you even looked at YOUR speech? The one that I wrote?" He asked Ayame who was still staring at him, scared of what he was going to do.
"The girls wanna meet us at Kahichi's. I told them yeah." Shigure said quickly, waiting for Hatori's reaction.
"Shina will be there." Ayame said, smiling, just as Hatori opened his mouth to give his "best friends" a lecture. At the sound of Shina's name, Hatori sighed and bowed his head in defeat. "Fine. Let's go so we can get back."
"YES!" Shigure and Ayame linked their fists together in their normal reaction to victory.
"Ugh! Let's go!"
---
Kahichi's was the premiere hang out spot for the Kaiwaia High student population. It seemed to be bursting with high school students all day, every day. The owner, an older woman named Sakura Inoue, seemed to take a particular liking to Shigure, Ayame and Hatori, letting them order whatever they liked for the price of just one thing. On the other hand, she wasn't real crazy about Shina, Hitomi or Leiko, not giving the same amount of service she did to the boys.
"They better come or I'll –"
"Oh, shush and take a seat." Leiko quickly shut Hitomi up as they entered Kahichi's, taking their normal window booth seat. Hitomi and Leiko slid in the same seat as Shina slid into the opposite.
"Look at that old bat." Hitomi whispered to Shina, motioning her head to the old woman who happened to be staring at the threesome. "So miserable, so lonely."
"Shh, Hitomi! Her husband died in a fire a long time ago." Shina responded sentimentally.
Hitomi rolled her eyes and sighed. "God, do you ALWAYS have to be the voice of reason?"
"WE HAVE ARRIVED!"
The entire café went quiet and turned its attention to the door. There stood Ayame, Hatori and Shigure in all their glory. Ayame looked more flamboyant than ever, sporting his purple cheetah print fur coat and his long white hair in a neat braid, topped off with a pink bow. Shigure and Hatori looked more normal, wearing polos and slacks.
Hitomi couldn't help but shake her head and laugh at Ayame's crazed personality. Something that she couldn't help but --- like. A lot.
"AYAME! SHIGURE! HATORI! Now, why haven't I seen you for the past few months, huh?" Mrs. Inoue was kissing up to the boys, as usual. It made Hitomi sick. Sick to her stomach.
"Mrs. Inoue. We're so sorry. We were out for vacation. We had an exquisitely wonderful time, though." Ayame talked loudly to the waitress, though she was standing right in front of him.
"How are you, Shigure and Hatori?"
"Fine, Mrs. Inoue." The boys responded in unison, searching the café for the girls they came to see.
"Could you tell us where we can find three lovely ladies, one brunette, one blonde and one with some outlandish colored hair?" Ayame finally asked the old woman.
"HEY! I HEARD THAT!" Hitomi hopped up from the booth and pointed her slender finger at Ayame, who couldn't fight away his smile.
He pushed her hand away from his face and wrapped his long arms around her thin frame. "Oh, Hitomi, you look more ravishing than ever."
"Oh, move it!" She said, pushing him away from her then brushing herself off. "You're lucky I don't pull that white hair right out of your scalp!"
"Hitomi!" Lieko yelled over her shoulder to her best friend, almost immediately locking eyes with Shigure. "Shigure?" She smiled staring at the boy she'd been longing to see.
"It's me, Lieko! It's me! Shigure! I've been waiting so long to lay my eyes on that gorgeous face of yours!" Shigure fell to one knee, continuing the massive scene they were making in Kahichi's.
"Oh, Shigure!" Lieko leaped from the booth and ran into Shigure's arms as if they stared a romance film.
Shina quietly hopped off of the booth and walked towards Hatori, who was merely watching all of this craziness happen. "Hey." She smiled, glancing up at Hatori for a few seconds, then looking back at her shoes.
"Hey, Shina." Hatori smiled, looking down at his beautiful companion.
"WELL, COHORTS! LET'S CONTINUE THIS LITTLE POW WOW IN OUR BOOTH, SHALL WE?" Ayame disrupted Shina and Hatori's moment by ending the drastic scene they'd created in the cafe.
---
"WOW! That sounds AMAZING!" Leiko said as the others listened to Ayame's tales of he, Shigure and Hatori's summer vacation.
Hitomi sat on the side with the window, Shigure sat next to her while Hatori sat on the end. As for the other side, Leiko sat on the side with the window, Ayame was in the middle and Shina was on the end – across from Hatori.
Leiko and Shigure had been exchanging sexy looks and glances at each other since they'd sat down, not really listening to anything the others were saying.
"We almost didn't make it here." Ayame dramatically and all of a sudden announced as he flipped his hair onto his other shoulder. "Ha'ri almost didn't let us come." He, then, smiled at his smarter friend. "But when we mentioned Shina he completely changed his mind. His entire face lit up."
Hitomi, Shigure and Lieko all stared at Hatori who looked pissed off as ever. Shina was staring at her lap, trying her hardest to hide her embarrassment.
"No. It wasn't like that." Hatori responded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hey. Remember the movies incident?" Hitomi asked around the table as they all began to recall the event.
---
"Have you guys heard about that new movie, Creepers Street?" Hitomi asked around the lunch table. The girls and guys were all at lunch, chatting away at whatever was on their minds.
"Ugh, I heard it was dreadful."Ayame responded, flipping his long, white hair to his other shoulder.
"Dude, let's all go and see it this weekend just to see how bad it is." Hitomi whispered to the gang as if it were a secret between the six of them.
"Yay! Movie night!" Leiko clapped her little hands together, laughing.
"I don't know about movie night, but…" Ayame grabbed Shigure's hand from across the table. "I can't wait….to have some alone time with you, Shigure."
"Oh, Aya, how well you can read my mind." Shigure responded, placing his other hand atop of Ayame's.
The entire table looked stunned. They always did this. And it always got more and more bizarre.
"YES!" Ayame and Shigure clasped their fists together in triumph.
"Would you guys stop that?!" Hitomi asked as she finished off her salad.
Hatori and Shina glanced at each other from across the table. Neither wanted to go. But how were they going to tell each other that without insinuating something else?
---
Since Shina's car was in the shop that day, Hatori drove her home. After a long, quiet ride, they'd finally arrived at her house. At first, they just sat there, looking at their laps.
"Are…you going to the movies Saturday with the others?" Shina asked, looking over at Hatori.
"No. I have a lot of studying to do. We've got a huge history exam Monday that I must prepare for."
Shina looked back at her lap. "Yeah. I have a math exam Monday as well. And I need all the help I can get with math."
"Maybe….I can help you study?"
Shina looked up at Hatori, who was looking at her himself. "What do you mean?"
"Maybe, instead of staying home and studying alone, I could come over your house and we can study together since you're great at history and I'm good at math."
Shina couldn't help but smile. Alone time with Hatori? She'd be a fool to turn it down. "Sure. I'll even rent some movies."
Hatori began to start up his car again. "Ha. Yeah. We could have a little movie night of our own." He winked at her as he placed his hands back on the steering wheel. She could've sworn she felt her heart skip a beat. "Okay. So…Saturday. My place."
"Yep. I'll see you then." Hatori smiled as Shina exited his car.
"Yeah. See you then, Ha'ri." As Hatori drove off , Shina couldn't help but dance with excitement to her front door.
---
Shina had cleaned her house for two straight days, making sure that everything was in place and nothing was misplaced. She wasn't going to get embarrassed by Hatori going back to his friends and telling them what a pigsty she lived in. She couldn't bare to think about it. She also didn't just throw something on. She swept her hair back in a black clasp and wore a short, yellow sundress and a little bit of eyeliner. Though she didn't want to admit it, she was definitely going that extra mile for Hatori.
DING DONG. Shina's heart fell as she heard her front door bell ring. 'He's here! He's here!' She thought to herself as she ran to her door. 'Just breath, Shina. Just breath.' Shina slowly opened the front door to reveal a smiling Hatori.
"Wow. You look great."
Shina couldn't help but blush and cheese. "Th-thank you. Come right in. Refreshments are on the coffee table for you."
"Thanks, Shina. What movies have you got?"
Shina walked quickly to the coffee table and sat onto the floor. "Um. Well. My mom said that Gone With the Wind was good."
Hatori couldn't help but laugh. "Gone With the Wind?! We ARE just studying tonight, right?"
"Oh, Hatori. It'll be fine. We can always just turn it off."
"Well, alright." Hatori cracked open his history book, then glanced at Shina. "Shall we begin?"
---
Hours had passed and Hatori and Shina had done all the studying that were going to do for that night. They were so engrossed in Gone With the Wind that studying was made impossible anyways.
RING RING RING
It was the phone. Shina then immediately realized. Hitomi. Ayame. Shigure. Leiko. She totally forgot about them. She'd blown them off for Hatori. And FORGOT to tell them. Uh oh.
Hatori stared at Shina as she walked to the phone to answer it. "It's probably Hitomi and the others. I totally forgot to tell them!" Hatori gave her a light shrug as she picked up the phone with a weak 'Hello.'
"WHERE ARE YOU, SHINA???" Hitomi yelled threw the phone. "WE'VE SEEN THE MOVIE AND EVERYTHING!!"
"I'm sorry, Hitomi. Ha'ri and I decided to study instead because we've got exams Monday."
"Ooooh. I get it. You and Ha'ri. Well, okay. Why didn't you just say that you wanted to cake up with Ha'ri?"
"We're not caked up ---"
"Bye Shina."
"HITO –" CLICK.
Shina hung up the phone and took a deep breath. They'd never let her hear the end of it.
"What's wrong?" Hatori could sense Shina's upset nature.
"Hitomi and the others think that we're flirting. That we skipped the movies with them to flirt with each other."
"Ha. That's absurd. What do you expect from them, though." Hatori responded nonchalantly.
"Yeah. You're right."
All of a sudden, Hatori had reached his hand over to Shina's cheek and slowly touched his lips with hers. It began with him giving her a few pecks. Before they knew it, they were in an all out make out session. Fingers combing through hair. Tongue dancing without mouths. Then, like a lightning strike, they sprung apart, realizing what was happening. Shina felt ashamed and embarrassed. She'd just made out with one of her best friends. And it wasn't in, what she would describe, a classy manner.
"I'm-I'm sorry." Hatori broke the ice.
"No no no. I'm sorry. I-I don't know what came over me."
"I think I'd better go."Hatori began gathering his things.
Shina sighed in response. "Okay."
As she watched Hatori leave through her front door, her feelings for him painfully, and unexpectedly seemed to grow.
---
"Haha. I was actually mad at Shina but – WILL YOU STOP TRYING TO PLAY FOOTSY WITH ME?!" Hitomi yelled, furiously, getting annoyed with Leiko's feet crashing into her legs.
"Oh. I thought those were Shigure's feet." She responded dumbly, looking around as her cheeks turned scarlet.
Shina laughed, glancing at Hatori, who'd she noticed was staring at her. Immediately she looked down, hoping that her hair would cover up her own cheeks that were turning deep scarlet themselves.
Hitomi abrubtly changed the subject.
"Can you believe this, you guys? We've all been together since grade school." Hitomi looked around the table at the five people she could truly call friends. "We're about the embark on the greatest school year of our LIVES! Guys! We're seniors!"
A/N: Welp, I hope you guys liked it. I call this my pilot chapter because depending on the reception of this chapter, I will continue. So, if you like it, please don't stay quiet! Thanks guys!