"Telepathically Connected"
by: S. Schumaker

Disclaimer: I do not own Marmalade Boy or any of the characters.

(AN: Now don't worry loyal TC fans, the story is still coming at you full blast, soon! In order to write the next installment, I had to go back a few chapters and rework a little! But do not fret! If you've already read it, and still remember the plot...it hasn't changed, really... I just rewrote a few lines here and there, so if you don't want to read the first few chapters again...don't! Anyway, enjoy it and keep those reviews a coming! Thanks! Also, anything in parentheses is a thought, okay? Thanks!)

Chapter One

The day had seemed like a normal one, or at least as normal as one could be growing up in the Koishikawa-Matsuura household. Miki and Yuu had just said their good-byes to their parents, who were off to work that Wednesday morning. Miki was busy making breakfast in the kitchen, trying not to inform Yuu of her wandering eyes over his male form, and Yuu was trying to read the paper, desperately trying to keep himself under control and not look at his step-sister so close to him. The two had been harboring silent feelings for the other for as long as they had known each other. The only problem, both were too scared of rejection to make the first move.

Nothing special ever seemed to happen on Wednesdays. It's just the day in the middle. Not a crappy-ass Monday morning, or a wild party Friday night. Just Wednesday. But, this Wednesday was different. The fates had other plans in mind for the two teenagers; hopefully what was coming wouldn't get them in too much trouble!

The day had gone by, like every other, and soon the two adolescents were back home at the end of the day. Their parents had gone out for a romantic evening dinner, and had left them at home alone. Yuu had immediately gone to his room, so as not to do something he would regret while being alone in the house with his love interest, and Miki had taken her place at the kitchen counter to work on her homework.

Before she was even halfway through her English assignment, she realized she was in desperate need of her Japanese to English dictionary. She just couldn't seem to remember where she had left it. She raced up to her room, glancing at Yuu's closed door before entering her own domain. She searched her room high and low for it, before suddenly realizing she hadn't unpacked it when they had moved in a few months earlier. She thought she had gotten the English language down a little better and so had left it in its box. She continued to the small storage room the family had at the back of their house. She rummaged through box upon box before finally settling her eyes on the one she knew held her book. As she was about to walk toward it, she tripped over something below her.
"What in the-" Miki stated, rubbing her sore knees as she looked around for her cause of her discomfort. "Ancient Spells?" She read off the cover of an old, worn book. She shrugged, flipping open the cover with curiosity. She scanned the text, thinking it to be some strange fiction book for teenage games, before something caught her eye. "To hear what is silent," She read. "Hm...I wonder what that means..." She ran her eye over the text below the heading before voicing it aloud.

"As pure lights shadow as truth ends fear, Open locked thoughts to my mind's willing ear."

Suddenly, a bright, white light engulfed Miki. She took in a sharp breath in excitement and fear, as the light seemed to swallow her whole. And, before she knew it...the light was gone. Miki's eyes were wide in shock as she looked around for the source of the light. She shrugged, thinking nothing of it before shutting the book and continuing on toward her forgotten dictionary. When she had finally found it, underneath her elementary school yearbooks, she started on her way back to the kitchen.

She stopped suddenly, glancing down at the old book at her feet. She squinted her eyes at it, before giving in and snatching it up in her arms. She took her two books back out to the kitchen and to finish up her homework.

Later that evening, Yuu had come down, finally deciding it was safe to be around Miki, besides, he was getting hungry. He slinked toward the fridge, glancing over the lone bottle of olives and the box of baking soda. He sighed, shutting the door after him. His eyes glanced over Miki's rustled features. Her hair was everywhere, falling into her tired eyes, her eyes were focused on her paper in front of her, and her fingers tapping her pencil rapidly against the table in which she sat. (She looks exhausted,) he thought.

"I'm not tired." Miki said back in reply.

Yuu looked confused. "Huh? I didn't say anything; you must be tired. Now you are hallucinating." Yuu laughed. (God, why do I always pick on her like that?)

Miki looked up from her work. Staring at him strangely. "What did you just say?"

"I said you look tired." Yuu looked at her in confusion. (Are you okay, Miki?)

"Of course I am! Geez!" Miki said in a huff. She closed her book and grabbed her things and was headed toward her room to finish up her homework.

"Wait a minute! Why are you getting so upset? I'm just worried. You really do look exhausted. You should go to sleep."

"But...but..." Miki looked at him in confusion. "Wait a minute..." she said to herself. (What if that spell thing was actually a spell. What if 'To hear what is silent' means that now I can hear people's thoughts that I normally wouldn't. Whoa, better test it out...) Miki nodded. "Yuu, think of a number...any number..."

Yuu stared at her as if she had grown another head, "Okay..." (5,098)

"5,098? Is that what you thought?" Miki answered.

"Whoa...how did you know that?" Yuu asked. Miki dropped her shoulders. She was in for it now. What was she going to do? How was she going to handle hearing his thoughts and everyone else's around her?

To Be Continued...

(AN: Review please, thanks!)