A/N: Hello! Welcome to An International Affair. A few warnings before I begin. Characters will be out of character. Also, I have included my own character. If you don't like that, then don't read this. And remember, reviews make all authoresses happy.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own DNAngel because my name, as you can see, is not Yukiru Sugisaki.
"Attention, passengers. Welcome to Lincoln, Nebraska. The temperature is currently seventy-eight degrees. The local time is two-thirty in the afternoon. Please be sure to collect all of your belongings before exiting the plane," the voice of the head stewardess instructed politely over the intercom. The girl in seat 16C sighed, and stretched gracefully. As soon as she could, she grabbed her shoulder bag, and made her way down the aisle. When she stepped off the plane onto the loading dock, she sighed again. After almost entire day on an airplane, even the ramp leading from the plane to the airport was a welcome change in surroundings. Quickly, Catherina Hikari crossed from the ramp to the actual terminal, eager to see her cousin.
"Krad," Catherina yelled, running to her blonde cousin. He turned and grinned when she barreled into him.
"It's nice to see you, too," he teased. Several minutes latter, Catherina allowed Krad to pull away from the hug. "You are as beautiful as ever, Catherina." She scowled, causing Krad to laugh. "I see you've grown you're hair out. I'm jealous." He ran his fingers through her dark brown hair gently.
"How can you be jealous," Catherina demanded. "It's only halfway down my back. Yours is so much longer, and more beautiful, Krad. I'm the one who's jealous." She twirled the tip of his long ponytail around her finger.
"How was your flight, Cat," Krad questioned, earning a smile for the nickname. Catherina sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"It was so long. I just wanted to scream sometimes."
"You always want to scream, Cat. You really need to break that habit and be more mature," Krad pointed out. Catherina scowled again. She turned on her heel and set off toward the baggage claim. "Hey, where are you going?"
"I need to collect my baggage, if you don't mind," Catherina snapped. She sped up trying to leave Krad behind.
"Okay, Cat. I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I don't want you ignore me all week. I rarely get to see you anymore. I miss you a lot," the blonde confessed. Catherina stopped, turning to her cousin. Her green eyes met his golden ones. Finally, the brunette sighed.
"I miss you, too. I apologize as well. My reaction was completely unreasonable. Shall we go claim my baggage, Krad dearest," Catherina asked, offering her arm.
"Of course," Krad replied, resting his palm on her forearm. The two cousins walked off together. Catherina filled the time by talking about movies she'd seen recently, songs she liked, and books she thought Krad should read. Five minutes later, Krad spotted the baggage claim. Luckily, the luggage was already circling on the carousal. Soon, the two had collected Catherina's suitcase and garment bag. Both were easily recognized by the elegant cherry blossom motif stitched in red on a black background.
"Krad, I can get my own luggage," Catherina protested as Krad slung the long garment bag over his shoulder. He laughed as she pulled the suitcase handle out of his hand.
"It's fine. I'm taller anyway. If I carry the garment bag for you, it won't drag on the ground," Krad explained calmly. Catherina sighed and grudgingly allowed her cousin to carry her dresses.
"Did you bring a car or are we walking," the brunette asked. Krad led the way to the parking lot.
"I brought a car, but you just might have to walk. I don't know if I have enough room for you plus all of your luggage, and suitcases can't walk themselves," the blonde teased. He pulled keys out of the back pocket of his jeans. As he hit the unlock button, Catherina noticed the lights of a red Ford Focus flashed on and off. "Here we are. You know, now that I think about it, there might be room for you in the trunk."
"Very funny," Catherina growled.
"I know." Grinning at his cousin, Krad popped the trunk and set the garment bag in it. Ignoring Catherina's protests, he also put her suitcase in the trunk without her help. "You can sit in the front, I guess. But," he interrupted her cheerful dance by holding up a single long, thin finger. "You have to give me another hug."
"Okay," she agreed, flinging herself into his arms. "It's nice to see you, Krad." The brunette leaned her head on Krad's shoulder.
"Likewise, Cat. It's time to get back to the Festival. Everyone should be meeting for lunch soon. Would you like to join us?"
"No. I think I'll take a nap. And I need to take a shower. Thank you, though." Krad climbed into the driver's seat while Catherina slid in next to him. Starting the car, he drove off towards the University of Lincoln campus.
"Let's get you to your dorm then. I have your room key and meal ticket. Also, you need to wear a name badge everywhere. It's how you get into Festival events. I got you your own room, so you don't have to share with some stranger. At the shows, we aren't actually going to sit in assigned seats, but we do have to sit in a specific section. I could sit by you if you want," Krad offered.
"Of course I want to sit by you. I like you. Besides, I don't know anyone else yet. You don't mind you, do you?" Catherina looked at him worried. The blonde looked away from the road for a second to look at her. Seeing her expression, he laughed.
"No. I don't mind. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to sit next to you. Here we are. Sandoz and Abel Halls. This is the girls' dorm. The boys' dorm is over a few blocks," Krad explained. "I can't come upstairs, so you're on your own for luggage. Meet in the Sandoz lobby at six, okay? There are lots of couches there; you can't miss it." Catherina opened the door, giving Krad one last look.
"Thank you." Krad smiled.
"It was my pleasure. I'll see you at six."
After Catherina got her luggage out of the trunk, she stood on the curb, waving at Krad as he drove off. She slipped the nametag Krad had given her around her neck and looked at her room number.
"So, I'm in room 613 in Sandoz Hall. Sounds fun." She folder her garment bag over her arm and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. Up a short flight of stairs, she reached the doors to the dorm. After some difficulty, Catherina managed to get past both sets of doors. She headed to the elevator and rode up to the sixth floor. All of the doors had dry-erase boards on them, underneath the room numbers. Several already featured quotes from Broadway musicals. Finally, the brunette spotted her own room. She took out her key and let herself in.
In the two far corners, desks were built into the walls. The corners closest to the door held chests of drawers and clothes racks for hanging dresses. Along one wall, there was a low bed. A taller bed was pushed up against the opposite wall. Catherina sighed and went about unpacking. She took her dresses out of the garment bag and hung them carefully, tugging on all bows, sashes, and hems to help eliminate wrinkles. Next, she took out her pillow and blanket and laid them on the higher bed. Her remaining clothes were organized on the remaining bed. Jewelry, other accessories, toiletries, and hair dressing tools were set out on one of the desks. When Catherina finally finished laying out everything to her satisfaction, she grabbed her towels and shower things and made her way to the bathroom.
Nobody else was showering, so Catherina chose the last shower. Quickly, she stripped and stepped under the warm water. She made sure to work shampoo into every inch of her long hair. Carefully, she rinsed all of the shampoo out, checking to make sure that the rinse water ran clear of soap bubbles. Done with her hair, Catherina grabbed the body wash and cleaned the rest of herself. By the time she finished, the tips of her fingers were starting to resemble raisins. Refreshed, the brunette dried herself off and returned to her room.
Once there, Catherina quickly got dressed. Her dress fell just below her knees and stood out nicely from the waist, due to the crinoline underneath. The black tulle of the crinoline stuck out about a half of an inch below the hem. The dress itself was also black, with white flowers. The halter-top tied in the back with a bow. Her three-inch heels only had a strap across the front. On the outside of that strap, a flower spread out across her foot. Catherina pulled the sides of her hair back in a flower barrette that matched the flowers on her shoes. A quick glance at the clock showed that the group was meeting in the lobby for dinner in five minutes, so Catherina grabbed her nametag and headed towards the elevator. When the door opened, Catherina noticed that there were already three girls inside. All three were dressed in jeans and T-shirts. The brunette stepped in, feeling overdressed.
"Oh, wow. That dress is gorgeous," the closest of the three exclaimed. The other two agreed more quietly. "So, where are you from?"
"England," Catherina replied sharply. The loud talking was getting on her nerves. Luckily, the elevator reached the first floor, and Catherina hurried out. Several people had already gathered on the couches in the lobby. Most of them were girls. Krad was nowhere to be seen. Unexpectedly, hands wrapped gently around her waist. Catherina stiffened.
"You look beautiful, Cat," a soft voice whispered. Recognizing Krad's voice, the brunette relaxed, leaning back against her cousin's chest.
"Thank you," Catherina whispered back. Krad spun her around so they were facing each other. He was wearing a white sports jacket over a snug black shirt and black pants. As usual, Catherina took to fidgeting with his ponytail. "You look good tonight, too, Krad."
"Thank you, too. Would you like to meet some people," Krad questioned. Catherina nodded, pulling away. "Alright then, let me see. Who's here?" Krad paused to look at the kids who had gathered. "Do you want girly, nice, or smart?"
"Um, nice," Catherina hazarded. Krad smiled.
"Good choice. Let's meet Daisuke first. You'll like him," Krad predicted. He held out his arm, and she laid her hand on it gracefully. Together, they walked to where a small group sat in a corner.
"Hey, Krad," a redheaded boy called in greeting. "Who's this?"
"Daisuke, this is my cousin, Catherina. Cat, this is Daisuke. Like I said, he's nice," Krad told her. She glared at him before smiling at Daisuke.
"It's nice to meet you, Daisuke," she said politely.
"Likewise, Catherina," the redhead replied.
"Call me Cat, please." This time the smile reached her eyes. Krad was right about Daisuke. She did like him. "And who is everyone else?"
"I'm Risa. I'm twins with Riku." Seeing as Risa was dressed in pink galore, Catherina figured she was the girly one.
"That would be me," Riku chimed in. Catherina could tell that the two were twins, even though Riku's brown hair was shorter and had more of a red tint than Risa's.
"Nice to meet you," Catherina told them. She turned to the final member of the group. His icy blue eyes stared back at her from behind glasses. His blue hair fell in his face, but he didn't move to brush it away. Catherina met his gaze calmly. "It's only polite to give your name after someone else gives hers."
"Satoshi," the boy growled.
"Was that really so hard," Catherina asked. Satoshi glared. "Krad, if Satoshi's the smart one, that only leaves overly energetic, right?"
"Yep. Luckily, Dark and Keiji are off checking out girls, and Takeshi is running late, as usual. You can meet them later. I don't know anyone else very well," Krad explained.
"Oh, okay. Do I really want to meet them, though," she wondered out loud.
"Probably not, but you should at least meet Dark and Keiji, I suppose. They're the other two chaperones. Since we don't have a chaperone for the girls, you'll have to call one of us, and make sure you observe curfew and lights out. In other words, don't do anything stupid, okay?"
"You do remember who you're talking to right? I always managed to frame you for all of the bad things I did because Grandmother thought that I was too cute to get into mischief," Catherina teased. Her cousin scowled. "I promise not to get into trouble while I'm here."
"Good," Krad snapped. His memories of his grandmother's punishments were not pleasant. That Catherina had done it all while going unpunished made it worse. "I don't to have to deal with security court, understand?"
"Krad, I've grown up. Besides, I doubt there are many cookie jars for me to steal from here. I'll never understand how Grandmother ever thought you were getting fat, though," the brunette laughed.
"It's not funny. I didn't get dinner for a week. No snack for two months either. I lost a lot of weight that I couldn't really afford to lose," Krad informed his cousin.
"I know, and that's the one thing that wasn't funny. I would have shared, but Grandmother threatened to take away my stuffed tiger. Do you know how hard it was for me to fall asleep without him? Almost impossible."
"Do you think she would approve of us now? As grouchy as she could be, I still loved her. I hope she's happy now."
"Of course she'd approve. She was strict, sure, but nothing would ever make her stop loving us. She's Grandmother. You know how stubborn she could be."
"I suppose so," Krad agreed. Before either cousin could continue the conversation, Krad was hit from behind, sending him crashing into Catherina. She, in
turn, stumbled out of her shoes, lost her balance, and fell, pulling Krad with her. Krad managed to catch himself with his hands, keeping himself from landing completely on Catherina. Even so, his hair fell over his shoulder to pool around her neck and shoulders. "Oh, Cat, your dress! I'm sorry!"
"Krad, it wasn't fault," Catherina admonished. "I pulled you down. You're the one who caught yourself so you didn't land on me. Thanks." Green eyes met golden until a new voice interrupted.
"She's cute. Is she yours?" A younger man with wild violet hair peered over Krad's shoulder curiously. Catherina glared at him.
"No, she's not mine, and no, you can't have her," Krad answered sharply. The other man visibly pouted. "This is Dark. He's one of the chaperones."
"What's your name, pretty lady," Dark asked.
"You don't need to know," Catherina snapped. Dark was stunned.
"Now that that's over, shall we head to dinner," Krad suggested. He offered his cousin a hand and helped her to her feet. She started to straighten her dress, and Risa came over to help from where she and the others had been chatting before Dark's antics interrupted them. Once Catherina was ready, the group of seven headed down to the dining hall.
Catherina decided to follow Krad because she had never been to a buffet style restaurant before. Going down the line, she settled on pasta and garlic bread. At the table, she set her tray down between Krad and Satoshi's trays. Going to get a drink, she found she had a problem.
"Krad," she whispered. "What should I drink? They don't have tea."
"Don't you drink soda?" Catherina shook her head. "There's milk. Do you drink that?"
"I usually drink acidophilus milk. Would they have that?"
"No. I would get two- percent milk. They're basically the same," Krad told her.
"Okay. Thanks." She headed off to get some milk.
The rest of dinner went by quickly. Mainly, Catherina just listened to everyone else, only chiming in on occasion. After dinner, the group headed towards the Lied Center, where their seats for the performances were. It turned out that they had seats near the front of the theatre. Several of the other students from the troupe were already seated. Catherina sat next to the aisle, with Krad sitting beside her. Luckily, the twins sat behind them, and the seats in from of them were assigned to another troupe. Dark ended up sitting three seats down from Krad.
"Krad, will Dark keep hitting on me all week," Catherina asked.
"No, he shouldn't. He should stop sometime within the next day or two. Actually, he's nice, if a bit annoying. He's gotten me out of some trouble before. Overall, he's a good guy. You don't totally hate him, do you?"
"If I give him my name, you'll know I don't hate him anymore," Catherina pointed out. "I'm not sure right now."
"At least you'll give him a second chance?"
"Sure," she agreed grudgingly.
A/N: Wow! That was a long chapter. So, please review. I love knowing what people think about my stories.