I was going to wait a little longer to publish this, but then I glanced at some of the newer stories that have been published and felt inspired. There are quite a few new AyuHiyo one's. I have yet to read most (okay, any) of them, but a lot of them sound good. May you all keep whatever inspiration drives you to write.
Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral -Suiri no Kizuna- or any related characters. They belong to Kyo Shinodaira and Eita Mizuno. I do own the plotline though and ask that you don't use or copy it without my permission. Thank you.
For the people who know Japanese (if even a little bit).
Haru-Same
It was quite despite the busy afternoon. Virtually nothing could be heard other then the falling rain. If she strained her ears she could pick up the sounds of cars in the distance, maybe the occasional shout of a person. Otherwise, the large park was deserted of other life. No other people were here, not even a stray animal could be seen. They were all inside their homes, dry and warm from the rain. That or heading for them, eager to get out of the storm.
Hiyono walked up the stone path. Her pace was relaxed, almost slow. Every step made a splash on the water-covered ground. The sound merged with the echoing rain around her, forming a tranquil rhythm in her mind. Although there were times when she would be just as eager as others for the rain to stop, she really didn't find it that annoying. Such days were perfect for curling up on the couch and reading a good book, or perhaps watching a pleasant movie.
Taking a walk through the showers was also enjoyable.
She looked past the edge of her pink umbrella, the rain sliding off it to form a gray curtain around her. The sky was a mixture of gray and deep purple. There was no thunder or lightning; either of the two would have made her head straight home rather then take a detour from school. The rain the clouds unleashed fell with ease through the tree branches, still bare and dormant in the early spring air.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of rain and earth. She looked around at the area. Everything was brown and wet, drenched and darkened by the downpour. The earth had yet to turn green, the days and nights still too cold to allow things to grow. Even the grass looked wilted, the blades dull and brown in the rain.
That wouldn't last much longer though. She smiled pleasantly to herself, continuing her walk even as it started to rain harder. Winter was ending and spring was finally here. In fact, the weather felt a little warmer today even with the rain. By next week, she knew things would start budding. It wouldn't be long before the air was thick with the scent of flowers and leafing trees. The grass would sharpen, turning back to its strong emerald green.
Right now, though, the world was sleeping; the rain playing its soft tune to wake it up.
She could hear water falling on water now. Hiyono looked further ahead, a small bridge coming into view. The small stream that ran under it must have filled up in the last week. She could hear the water rushing by before her feet even touched the wood, a dark brown in the rain. The water couldn't puddle on the slope of the bridge, so her footsteps were much quieter. They made more of a hollow sound, almost like a real drum softly beating. A tart, bitter smell rose up to meet her, issued from the wood beneath her feet. It mixed with the sweet scent of earth and rain, filling her nostrils and making her sneeze. It took a few minutes for her to get use to the new smell.
She stopped at the middle of the bridge. A covered bench was near by. Other then herself, it was the only dry thing in sight. She walked over to it. She sat her backpack on the bench and out of the rain. She was tired of carrying it for so long and planned to stay here long enough to rest her arm. She turned and walked over to the edge of the bridge. She leaned against the railing, not even noticing the water that soaked into the sleeves of her school sweater as she gazed at the scenery.
The stream was lower then she first thought, but it was moving fast. The park scene would have looked perfect if the water was clear, but mud and various natural debris clouded it. It was a murky brown, sticks and dead leaves rushing under her as she watched. She wasn't as bothered by it as she could have been. It was always like this at the beginning of spring. After a month or so, the water would be full and clear.
Hiyono took a long, deep breath. The scents of wood, earth and clean rain filled her nose. It formed pungent smell, one she was familiar with. It mixed well with the melody from the rain. It made the atmosphere seem so much more tranquil.
She stood in place, just watching and listening to the rain. She felt herself starting to get restless. Needing something to do, she reached out with her hand, extending it past the shelter of the umbrella. The rain didn't hesitate to drench her skin. It wasn't as cold as it looked. Rather then pulling it out of the rain, she held her hand in a cupped position. She watched as the water filled it, spilling over the edge to fall into the stream. It wasn't that cold. She contemplated an idea for a minute, weighing her decision. She knew she shouldn't, but then no one was here so why should it matter?
Hiyono stepped away from the bridge edge, glancing up at the sky again. She gave the rain one last look before lowering the umbrella.
The effect was immediate. She gasped as the rain hit her, goose bumps breaking out across her skin. Her honey-gold hair darkened, the braids feeling instantly heavier as water soaked into them. She squealed as the cold waves ran over her, her body shivering uncontrollably. The rain felt much colder against her whole body then it did against her hand. She let the umbrella fall to the ground, jumping slightly on one foot as she tried to adjust to the cold. The rain soaked through her clothes faster then she thought it would. She could feel cold water running passed her collar and down her back, making her squeal even more.
She had to move, had to do something. She was already jumping in place but she need actual movement to calm her body down. The water was cold and it was seeping into her skin too quickly for her liking. She made her legs move. She ran almost half way down the bridge then turned and ran back. She laughed into the rain as it flew into her face. The cold almost took her breath away.
Hiyono stopped in the same spot she was before. She looked up at the sky, smiling as water ran down her face. She lifted her hands above her head as if to catch the rain and then started spinning. After a few turns she lowered her arms, holding them out as she started to dance. She didn't care if others would find it strange; no one was here to see her anyway. The sound of the rain filled her ears, merging with her speeding heart and light laughter. It was as if the rain became a chorus, playing a song only she could hear and understand. She was going to enjoy it. She always did. She could never stop the temptation to dance even when she wanted to. She would let the rain's music fill her ears and drive her body. She couldn't help it.
She did a small leap. She lost her breath as the rain hit her. She started laughing again when she got it back, sliding a bit on the water and then regaining her balance. She turned on one foot, spinning in a fast circle. She could feel her skirt flying higher then appropriate, water flying off the edge like a sprinkler. However, as she was the only one here she didn't worry about it and simply spun faster.
She wasn't sure how long she danced there, spinning and leaping as the rain sung around her. After a few minutes, she didn't notice the cold anymore. Whether it was because she got use to it or she was getting too cold she didn't know, and she really didn't care. This was the first rain that opened up spring and the last rain that would hold the effect of winter, the last time the dormant world would be showered before waking up. So maybe she was just too absorbed in her enjoyment to notice the cold and even the presence of another.
She felt the rain let up a little. She stopped dancing, breathing heavily. She stared over the stream and park, the scenery looking more serene as her heart raced. She suddenly felt eager for things to bloom, for the trees the fill with emerald leaves and the air to smell of flowers and honey. It was always so pleasant, so warm. She closed her eyes, letting the rain fall against her face as she breathed in the clear air.
"You're going to catch a cold doing that."
The voice was all too familiar not to be recognized. Hiyono inhaled sharply, water flooding into her open mouth as she quickly turned around. She was surprised to hear his voice and even more surprised she didn't sense him arrive. She didn't expect anyone else to come by here, especially Ayumu.
The boy stood a short distance away, staring at her with a look of exasperation. His own blue umbrella was open, keeping him safe and dry from the rain. She realized he must have taken his own detour from school. That, or he saw her and followed to see what she was doing.
She smiled somewhat sheepishly. The chill from the rain was settling back in and she was fully aware of her drenched hair and clothes sticking to her body. A warm wave of embarrassment washed over her. "How long have you been there, Narumi-san?" Asked Hiyono.
"Long enough." Was his curt answer. She could feel her face grow warm despite the cold rain against it. She thought back on her flinging skirt and various other moves she had done. She wasn't even going to ask how much he saw.
"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice holding a tone of annoyance. He walked over to her fallen umbrella and picked it up. A fair amount of water had gathered in it. It spilled to the ground with a loud splash as he turned it over.
"I'm dancing," she replied, thinking it to be obvious. He looked back up. She could feel his eyes taking in her appearance. She wasn't sure how long he was watching her before speaking, his answer only giving her a vague guess. However, he would be able to tell from her dripping wet clothes that she had been dancing for a while. She realized loose strands of her hair were sticking to her face, irritating her skin. She reached up and brushed them away, many of them just sticking somewhere else.
He gave his head a light shake, sighing. "You're going to catch a cold," he repeated, looking away. He gave her umbrella light shake before closing it. "And don't think you'll get me to make you soup if you do. It would be your own fault for dancing like an idiot in the rain."
"I'm not going to catch a cold." She huffed as he walked over to the bench. The thought of his homemade soup, however, certainly made it seem worthwhile. He sat her umbrella down beside her backpack, out of the rain as she should have done. She felt a sting of frustration as she further thought on his words. She was trying to enjoy herself and he was starting to ruin it.
"It's the first warm rain of spring," she explained when he gave her a look, that expression that said he was right and she was acting foolish. She felt her smile return as she thought about her coming words, "and it's fun to dance in the rain. It's almost like listening to music."
She could tell simply from the look he gave her that he didn't share her line of logic. He turned to face her completely, and she knew whatever he was about to say was going to ruin the tranquil atmosphere.
"Technically, it's still winter and it will rain again once it's warmer. Even if it wouldn't, it's no reason to make yourself sick."
Yep, ruined. Her smile faded as if it were watercolor washing away in the rain. She could feel her earlier enjoyment disappearing. The music died, the chorus falling silent at his words. She stared at him. Her mouth opened as if to say something in defense but no words came out.
No matter how she looked at it, there was no denying he was right. Technically, it was still winter and even in her mind it was foolish to dance in the rain when it was still cold out. A few minutes of dancing didn't seem worth risking a week of cold symptoms.
Ayumu seemed to realize he had her beat. He turned, rising his hand and motioning for her to follow. "Come on. You need to go home and dry off. Its going to get dark soon and the weather report said the storm was going to get worse by evening."
Hiyono watched him as he started to walk away. That just wasn't right, turning up when he wasn't expected and ruining her fun like that. He was more dull and dormant then the brown earth around them. Reluctantly, she walked over to her umbrella and backpack. She didn't bother opening the umbrella, even to keep her bag dry. She suddenly didn't care if her bag got wet and she was too soaked to bother staying out of the rain.
She stayed a considerable distance behind him, sulking. Ayumu was definitely one of those people who had never danced in the rain, and probably never would. Maybe long ago, in the early years of his childhood, he might have. Now, though, he was too emotionless to even comprehend it.
Lost in her grim thoughts, her gaze slowly drifted up to his umbrella. She watched as the water slid off it, forming a dissimilar pattern in the rain. She stared at it for a few minutes before an idea formed in her mind. Well, he did ruining her walk so it only made sense that he should do something to make up for it. Whether he was willing to or not.
Hiyono tightened her hold on her own umbrella before quickening her pace. She would have to keep a good hold on it. It wouldn't make any difference if he just used hers instead. Of course, he probably wouldn't be thrilled at the idea of using her bright pink umbrella in place of his own.
She was glad for the flooded path as she advanced on him. The rain its self and the splashing from his footsteps drowned out her approaching ones. Therefore, he didn't even hear her as she stepped up behind him. Moving quickly, she reached over his shoulder and grabbed the upper handle to his umbrella, jerking it out of his unsuspecting hand.
"Hiyono!" His voice rang with shock and anger. She jumped out of his reach as he spun around. The rain was already starting to drench him. His clothes and hair were looking darker by the second. He ran at her, grabbing for his still open umbrella. Laughing, Hiyono twisted playfully away, snapping the umbrella closed. She held it high above her head, waving it as if to mock him.
"Come on, Narumi-san! If you really want it you'll have to catch me!" She could tell from his glare that he was not happy. He didn't want to chase her, but he wouldn't want to stand there in the rain either. Not about to stay and wait for him to speak, she turned and shot off at a run. A few moments later, obviously realizing she was serious, she heard his footsteps closing in on her from behind.
Sensing him catching up, she tried to run faster. She left the park trail and dashed across the wilted grass, zigzagging around trees, bare bushes and picnic tables. He was shouting at her, but the effect simply had her laughing harder and running faster. She might have been able to run better if she wasn't weighed down by her backpack. It hung by one strap on her shoulder, beating against her back with every dash. She wanted to throw it on the ground and leave it. However, unless she paid continued attention to where she was she would lose it, and she was having too much fun to worry about staying in one specific area.
Hiyono ran behind a picnic table, turning around to face him. Her grin widened at the furious look on his face. He started to run around the table and she did the same in the opposite direction. Realizing it, he turned around and went the other way. Laughing, she copied his movements. It didn't work a third time though. He climbed up on the table, cutting across it. Seeing what he was doing, she turned and started running again, laughing harder then ever.
A small building of public bathrooms came into view. She ran around the corning, still sprinting across the grass. Once again, she didn't notice the cold from the rain. She was gasping for breath now, less from running and more from laughing. She knew she wouldn't be able to outrun him much longer. Still, it was turning out to be more fun then she thought it would be. She couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun in the rain.
She shrieked as Ayumu suddenly came into view in front of her, coming around the approaching corner. He had gone the other way, cutting in front of her without her realizing it. She scrambled to stop, to try and turn around, realizing immediately she wouldn't be able to turn soon enough.
The next second though, she was glad she hadn't.
Ayumu was feet away from her when it happened. Stepping wrong, his foot slid forward on the wet grass. He let out a sharp yelp as he hit the ground, landing flat on his back. She stopped in her tracks, staring him as he sat up. For three seconds all that was heard was the rain, falling thickly through the air.
Then Hiyono started laughing. It wasn't the playful, enjoying herself laughter from when she was running. It was full blown, double over laughter. She couldn't stop it. The look of pure and total shock that filled his usually impassive face was priceless. She was sure she would break out in laughter weeks from now when she thought of it. The umbrellas fell to the ground, her shaking hands unable to hold them. Her backpack quickly joined them. Her now free arms wrapped around her waist as she continued to laugh harder. Her eyes started to tear. In between them and the rain she was nearly blind.
Ayumu, however, did not find it as humorous. She could tell even before he started to stand up. She could barely see him as he moved towards her. Her eyes were so blurry it was a wonder she could see anything. She didn't even realize she was backing up, still laughing her head off. She knew it was pointless to run again, even as she turned around. She was too out of breath from laughing. She could barely even stand properly.
He grabbed her from behind, pulling her back towards him. This proved to be a mistake. Her feet slid under her as he pulled. She fell backward, making a sound between a laugh and a scream as she crashed into his chest. Impossible to keep his balance on the wet lawn, the impact had him falling again. The air was knocked out of both of them as they hit the ground, Ayumu flat on his back with Hiyono on top of him.
Hiyono was still as she tried to catch her breath, her heart racing a mile a minute. Her head felt a little fuzzy and a real, unshakeable chill was finally setting in. She thought about sitting up, realizing Ayumu was probably just as wind struck as she was and she could probably get away again.
Then she felt the rapid beating of his heart against her back. He was out of breath, judging from the quick breath against her neck. Compared to the cold rain his breath was very warm against her skin. Even with the rain pounding against her, cascading down her face and filling her open mouth, she didn't want to move. She relaxed, content next to him like this.
He sighed in her ear. She wouldn't say the sound was an irritated one, but it wasn't happy either. It was more of a sound of defeat. She felt his hands grip her sides, lifting her and turning her around. She shifted, moving her legs as he turned her around. She saddled his waist as she sat up. She stared down at him, still trying to catch her breath.
Ayumu looked out of breath, though not as much as she was. He was completely soaked now, his clothes dark and heavy with water. His hair was matted down and his bangs had started sticking to his face. There was a red tinge to his cheeks. Whether it was from the cold or chasing her, she wasn't sure.
Even though she knew he was mad at her, she found herself smiling. She didn't fail to notice the corners of his mouth twitch, as if he was about to smile as well. Then it was gone, replaced with a frown at her amusement. She merely smiled wider.
"Stop looking at me like that, Narumi-san," she ordered playfully when her breathing calmed enough to speak. "Admit it; you're having fun with me." His frowned deepened in response, his eyebrows meeting in a slight glare. She crossed her arms, scowling down at him. "It won't hurt you to have fun, Narumi-san."
Or too admit it, she thought.
He stared up at her for moment before saying, "You shouldn't cross your arms like that."
Now she frowned at him, her arms staying in place. He was dodging around her statement and she wasn't eager to let him. "What do you mean?" She glanced down at herself. Her current thoughts left her mind so fast she completely forgot them. She quickly looked back at him, just in time to see his eyes flicker up to her face, then back down. She felt the blood rush towards her face as she noticed her drenched clothes sticking to her body. The cotton fabric of her school sweater might not stick as bad as other clothes would, but it still stuck. Her crossed arms only served to make it more apparent across her breasts then it should be.
She pulled her arms apart, face burning. She was torn between pining them to her side and moving them to block her chest from view. She glared at Ayumu, her temper rising in embarrassment.
"Narumi-san, you pervert!" She screeched angrily. She would have pulled out her puppets and started punching him, but she had put them in her bag to stay dry and it was currently three yards away and out of her reach.
He made a sound between a laugh and snort. "You're the one crossing her arms and pushing her breasts out for the world to see."
His statement only made her blush darker. "You're the one staring!"
"Any male would stare," he said evenly, watching her face with a look of slight amusement, "And I'm not staring now, am I?"
No, he wasn't. He had been looking at her face the whole time after mention it. She knew that. However, it didn't help cease her embarrassment. Deciding she wouldn't be comfortable until she punched him a few times, she moved to get up and reach for her bag. He grabbed her hips, pinning her back in place on his stomach. She glared down at him before trying to squirm out of his grasp.
"You are not getting out those damn puppets." He said irritably, knowing full well what she was after. Hiyono glared at him. It occurred to her that he had, once again, ruined the moment. Her anger spiked. She was starting to feel frustrated. She grabbed his wrists, trying to pull his hands away so she could move.
"Do you always have to ruin the fun, Narumi-san?" She pouted in frustration, yanking rather pointlessly at his arms. How could he be so strong? "Just because you're as cold and dreary as these last weeks of winter doesn't mean I have to be."
She noticed his eyes flicker, a mixed expression crossing his face before disappearing. She felt his grip slack a little and thought that he might be letting her go.
Then his arms wrapped around her completely, pulling her down. She gasped, the world spinning in a mixture of gray, brown and blue as he flipped her onto the ground beside him. She didn't even notice the water and mud against her back. She was too use to the cold rain to notice a difference.
She blinked a few times before looking up at him, silent in surprise. He was balanced above her, one arm keeping him up while the other was still on her waist. He looked surprised by the action himself. However, the emotion was only slightly there, hidden before she could fully see it.
"What could be fun about running through the rain?" He asked, his brown eyes boring down at her. "We're soaking wet now, and we'll both probably be sick by next week."
"You tell me, Narumi-san." Her voice rang with sudden confidence. "You were having fun. I know you were. If you weren't, you would have stopped chasing me and left once you were soaking wet." That last sentence spilled from her mouth before she even realized she was thinking it. She was glad when she instantly realized she was right. She felt an even greater beam of joy when his expression faltered.
Hiyono pushed herself up slightly, resting on her elbows. She didn't even worry when they dug into the earth. They would probably be stained but she didn't really care. Nor did she care that the position made her chest thrust forward too much for comfort. He was too close to her face to notice anyway.
Too close. She was a little surprised he didn't pull back when she sat up. She could see every small trail of water left on his face by the rain, the droplets almost looking like crystal in the gray light. Maybe it was just her mind working against the cold, but she suddenly felt very daring. She moved her face a little closer. Their breaths mingled together, her face inches away from his now. Still, he didn't pull away.
Maybe the cold was effecting him to, or maybe he was just trying to distract her from getting out her puppets. His wet hair brushed against her face and she was sure her own bangs were doing the same to his. His hand was still on her waist, resting just below the edge of her sweater. She was uncomfortable aware of how much she enjoyed it there.
"So, Narumi-san," she made sure to keep her voice calm despite the flurry of emotions breaking out as she stared at him, "are you having fun?"
"It's childish." Ayumu mumbled, ignoring her question as if she hadn't said a thing. He pulled away, sitting up right on the grass. He ran his hand through his wet hair, lightly shaking his head. "You're just too stubborn to admit it." Hiyono sat up completely, watching him. She felt her body starting to tremble, a breath she didn't realize she was holding escaping. She debated doing or saying something to stop him as he stood up, but decided against it. She really had done enough for one day.
He turned towards her before she could stand up herself. The look he wore clearly told her he didn't want any more games. "It's starting to get late. We need to go home and dry off. Your starting to shiver."
True, but it wasn't entirely due to the cold. As he turned she suddenly realized how much his clothes were sticking to him. Like her own cotton uniform, they weighed down more then stuck, but they still plastered to his body in subtle ways. He walked towards the fallen umbrellas. Her eyes trailed after him before she tore them away, her face starting to burn.
Now who's the pervert? Hiyono reprimand in her mind as she stood up. She stared at the ground to keep her gaze from drifting over to him. Maybe it was just her imagination, but the grass looked a little greener. She straightened out her skirt and sweater. Mud was splattered all over the outfit. She hoped it came clean tonight or she was going to look quite ridiculous at school tomorrow.
Ayumu's feet appeared in front of her. She looked up, her hands falling away from messing with her clothes. He was holding their umbrellas and her backpack. He held out her belongs, which she took with a thank you. As she pulled her backpack on she noticed his umbrella, still closed and clutched in his hand. She smiled broadly when he turned, holding it at his side unopened as he started to walk.
She wondered if he realized just how well she knew him. It wasn't aloud, but he still gave an answer to her question. She grinned, a feeling of delight building up inside her. He did have fun with her just now. If he hadn't, he would have went on about how annoy it was. He was also enjoying the rain too, otherwise he would have used his umbrella no matter how drenched he was. Of course, if she questioned him he would probably just say he was too wet to bother using the umbrella.
Ayumu turned when she wasn't following, snapping a comment to get her moving. Taking it better then she usually would, she ran to catch up to him. She walked in place beside him, still smiling as she looked around. She didn't talk, for once following him in silence. Just like before, she simply listened to the serene music of the rain and light drumming of her footsteps.
Only this time there were two sets instead of one, making the song all the more enjoyable. It wasn't the same as dancing but it was still enjoyable to walk in the rain, especially when you weren't alone.
She didn't care if others found it strange; no one but Ayumu saw her anyway. And he might say it was stupid, but she thought otherwise. Even when they would both be sick with colds next week, she still wouldn't regret dancing in the rain.
I may not dance in it, but I do enjoy taking a walk in the rain. =D
The longer this is up and I reread it to fix various errors, the more I like it. (smiles) Yes, I like it very much now.
I hope you enjoyed it and well consider reviewing. Please? Pretty please, with a cherry on top?