Clap-a slap. Clap-a slap.
She listened to the rhythmic beating of her flip-flops on the boardwalk. It almost sounded like another heart, beating with hers. She let out a sigh.
How long before I find the one? She thought.
She did not look bad. She had glowing silver hair that went to her waist, ice blue eyes, a healthy tan, and reasonably long legs. Why couldn't she find a decent guy?
Suddenly, she felt a hand grasp her butt. "Hey baby, wanna share?"
She froze with embarrassment and surprise at the blatant violation.
People stopped and started to look at what was happening. She heard whispers of worship for the guy from other boys, and she also heard the gasps of fellow women. Some even called her a slut.
Don't let them see you cry. Not now, not ever. She held her chin high.
Clover turned to him with a smile; he looked like such a sleaze. "You want me to share huh?" She winked at him.
He nodded with a grin.
"Share this then!" She gave him a hard push off the boardwalk and into the water below.
Clover turned and ran home to cry her heart out. It had happened too many times. Even her stepfather. She felt like she wanted to die, but instead she found herself taking a walk into the woods wearing jeans and a black tube-top.
"Daddy," She whispered to herself, "why on Earth did you leave me? Couldn't you have taken me with you.? I should have been in the car with you. You knew Mom didn't love you, or me. How come you could take your life, and knowingly leave me!?" Her voice had risen into more of a shriek.
Birds scattered from the area, and she heard something behind her. She dismissed it as an animal she had just probably scared.
After an hour of walking deeper and deeper into the woods, she found the pain in her heart over-powering. She collapsed ground and began to cry again.
********************************
He sat in his chair rubbing his brow. Eighteen years under the public eye were becoming too much for him to handle.
An old man suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts. "Your majesty, the time draws near, you must find a wife. You need an heir, the family line must be kept, your parents would want to see-"
Hotohori's fist slammed on the table in front of him. "Don't you think I know that?!" He began to raise his voice. "You don't know what this is like. I've been alone all my life, and I want to choose the right woman!" The anger left him, only to be replaced by pain. He dropped his head, and gestured for the old man to leave, who bowed and receded through the doors.
Where is she? He thought to himself. Miaka was to be the one, but I find myself here alone. Peace has been brought to my country, but nothing had been done for my heart.
He found himself at the pond to the side of the palace, and he sat to look upon the water, hoping that maybe he could find some sort of imperfection in his face, that could possibly give reason to his loneliness.
Staring into the water, no answer came to him. Anger rose inside him as he smacked the water with his hand. He stood, and decided that perhaps it was time to just choose a woman as his wife.
However, when he looked at the water one last time, as a way to almost say goodbye to a dream, he saw a girl crying in the reflection. Surprisingly, his heart seemed to hurt for her; he could see she needed someone, and perhaps, he decided, she might be his if he could help her. But how could he reach her?
**************** "Maybe I could help her, maybe she could tend to my broken heart, as I will hers." A soft voice came from somewhere around her.
Oh no not here, don't tell me some guy followed me again! She thought to herself, as she looked around her, distressed.
As her eyes swept over the pond, she jumped. There was a face there in the water.
"Oh my God, this is so silly, I'm imagining things." Clover blurted all of a sudden. How could a guy be in a reflection when she was there alone?
"I think it's my obligation to correct you," Hotohori replied, clearly surprised as well, but his voice remained soft, "I am in fact real."
She jumped back, but she was curious nonetheless. "S-so, umm, w-what's up?" She waved to the ghostly reflection. Oh God, he must think I'm a retard.
He smiled at her reassuringly, "Right now I'm trying to figure out how on Earth one of us can get to the other side."
"Oh." She blushed. However, before she could say anything else, she heard something behind her.
A young man presumably age sixteen, just like her, leaned against a tree and gave her a sort of smile. He had short black hair, and silver eyes that seemed to glow. He reminded her of a wolf somehow.
It was at that moment she realized she forgot to bring her mace, she looked at the water pleadingly, hoping the dashing man was somehow still there, but he was gone.
"What do you want?"
"It's not good for a girl like you to be so far out in the woods."
She backed away.
"What are you doing here?"
"I followed you."
She did not want to ask, but she knew he wanted her to. "Why?"
"Because I've been watching you. The way you think, you're different." He advanced on her and grabbed her arm before she could turn and run. "And I think you should know, I happen to like, different." He gave her a passionate kiss that ended almost as soon as it had begun.
He turned around and walked away into the woods. She was oddly intrigued and found herself wanting him to kiss her again.
Maniacal splashing ensued behind her, and as she turned around, she saw the boy in the reflection emerging from the water.
"Holy shit!" She jumped. Today was becoming too much for her. "What on. How did. Are you. Whoa."
He bowed to her and introduced himself. "I am Hotohori, emperor of Hong- nan. My curiosity has caused me to pursue the chance of meeting you. I apologize for scaring you."
"I'm Clover. Nice to meet you." She smiled and turned around to go home. This 'Hotohori' seemed a little eccentric for her.
"Please, allow me to escort you home, and perhaps you might tell me about yourself."
"What makes you think I want to talk to you?"
"Your eyes hold the same fear of being alone that mine do." Hotohori said, as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
Alone. He was right, and she also remembered her mom and stepfather were going to be out for the next two days. What could it hurt to give the guy a change of clothes and a bed? Someone walking out of the water and reminding you of Price Charming doesn't happen everyday.
She removed his hand from her shoulder. "Fine you can come home with me. You could use some help anyways, it looks like you're wearing a curtain." Clover giggled.
Hotohori looked at her, and then at what he was wearing and blushed. He realized how out of place he was.
"Come on, it's getting late." She grabbed his hand and led the way home.
As they walked in silence, she thought of how soft his eyes were, and his gentle hands. Every few minutes she would look back to make sure he was still there.
"Your house is quite small." Hotohori stated as they neared the door.
Her silence made him rethink what he said. "I'm sorry if I insulted you. I'm just used to the palace."
"Listen, when my Dad died, my mom stopped caring about everyone. We moved out of our old house and ended up in this piece of shit. She put all of her money into a beach house that she makes sure to exclude me from. Would you like me to keep going?" She flung open the door and pulled him in.
He lost the confidence she had seen in him before. "I apologize. I had no idea."
She sighed. "Everyone expects the pretty girl to have a big house and lotsa money. I'm used to it."
Clover left him in the living room as she downstairs into the basement to get some of her old boyfriend's clothes. She went back upstairs, and shoved the clothes into Hotohori's arms, and pointed him to the bathroom.
Her stomach growled, so she decided to go to the kitchen and make some dinner.
"Hey love." The boy with the glowing eyes was seated on the counter.
She dropped the pans she had onto the floor and turned for the door. It was locked.
"What's with the rush?" He looked at her, feigning confusion.
"How did you get in here?"
"Precious little thing, you left the front door unlocked."
"You better watch how you talk to me." She grabbed a butcher knife.
"Whoa, I'm a good person no need for the weapon."
"You should go."
"But you know I'll be back."
She thought about the kiss, and she almost wanted him to come back. "You better not." Her grip on the knife tightened.
"Well I will. And I know you want me to come back." The boy got up, grabbed his jacket, and left through the back door.
She locked the door behind him.
As she got a grip on her surroundings again, she realized Hotohori was trying to open the locked door. "Are you alright in there?" He shouted.
"Umm, yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Sorry about that." She unlocked the kitchen door for him.
"I thought maybe you'd left."
"Oh and where exactly would I go off to?"
He blushed. "I see you are preparing a meal, can I help?"
She looked at the box of Hot-Pockets and chuckled. "No, I can handle this."
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Ah, ok! So where will I be sleeping for the night?"
She hadn't thought of that yet. She couldn't very well leave him alone on the ground floor. Her basement bedroom was as big as the house. He could surely sleep there. She'd sleep at the opposite end.
"Well you can sleep in my room. It's big enough for the both of us." She said matter-of-factly.
He blushed again; she was starting to find it cute. "Oh, jeez! Not like that! I have two mattresses in my room! Oh my God!" She blushed and started laughing.
"So what empire are you from, Clover?"
"Um?"
"Well I've never seen buildings quite like these."
".Boston, Massachusetts."
"Is that Eastern China?"
"United States?"
"I've never heard of this place before then."
"You said empire right?"
He nodded.
"Um, okay, this is going to sound really weird, but I think you might be from the past."
"So you are like Miaka?"
"Is that your girlfriend?"
"She was the only woman I could ever love."
Clover shuffled uncomfortably. She didn't think that he might not be interested in her, and suddenly felt like something was wrong with her. They sat in silence for a few minutes eating their dinner.
He realized she looked hurt. Did she see the potential for the same feelings as he did? Before he could ask her, she looked at the time and decided they'd better get to bed.
Clover showed him to his bed, and told him she was going to go for a walk. She would be back in a few minutes. Little did he know she was going to look for the wolf boy.
She stepped out the door, and into the brisk night air. As she walked towards the woods she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to see him. He had a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
"You came looking for me." He laughed.
She blushed. "No."
"Then why are you out here? I know you're afraid of the dark."
"How did you know that?" She suddenly regretted leaving the house.
"Like I told you before," he sighed, "I've been following you."
She took a step back, and he stepped along with her.
"When will you leave me alone?"
He grabbed her hand and sliced her palm before she could realize what was happening.
"If you aren't mine by the day that wound heals, then you will never see me again."
She stared at her hand and nodded.
He gave her a push back towards her house. "I might have kissed you again, but you have an audience I think."
She turned to see a curtain close. "Hotohori." She whispered. "Before I go, what's your name?"
"Kisei." He said as he turned and walked into the woods.
She walked back home with a pool of blood gathering in her hand, and slowly running down her arm. His touch still seemed to echo on her skin, but all was forgotten as she entered the house.
Hotohori ran up to her. He hadn't seen much, but he saw that wretched vagrant harm her. The situation seemed to have a trace of Miaka in it, and he decided he would have to show Clover he cared. The underlying connection he felt between them was something he surely could not let go of.
She saw the worry on his face. He took one look at her hand and wrapped his arms around her. The love she felt coming from him was like no other she'd ever felt before, and she decidedly hugged him back, she finally felt safe.
But his touch seemed to sting.
She listened to the rhythmic beating of her flip-flops on the boardwalk. It almost sounded like another heart, beating with hers. She let out a sigh.
How long before I find the one? She thought.
She did not look bad. She had glowing silver hair that went to her waist, ice blue eyes, a healthy tan, and reasonably long legs. Why couldn't she find a decent guy?
Suddenly, she felt a hand grasp her butt. "Hey baby, wanna share?"
She froze with embarrassment and surprise at the blatant violation.
People stopped and started to look at what was happening. She heard whispers of worship for the guy from other boys, and she also heard the gasps of fellow women. Some even called her a slut.
Don't let them see you cry. Not now, not ever. She held her chin high.
Clover turned to him with a smile; he looked like such a sleaze. "You want me to share huh?" She winked at him.
He nodded with a grin.
"Share this then!" She gave him a hard push off the boardwalk and into the water below.
Clover turned and ran home to cry her heart out. It had happened too many times. Even her stepfather. She felt like she wanted to die, but instead she found herself taking a walk into the woods wearing jeans and a black tube-top.
"Daddy," She whispered to herself, "why on Earth did you leave me? Couldn't you have taken me with you.? I should have been in the car with you. You knew Mom didn't love you, or me. How come you could take your life, and knowingly leave me!?" Her voice had risen into more of a shriek.
Birds scattered from the area, and she heard something behind her. She dismissed it as an animal she had just probably scared.
After an hour of walking deeper and deeper into the woods, she found the pain in her heart over-powering. She collapsed ground and began to cry again.
********************************
He sat in his chair rubbing his brow. Eighteen years under the public eye were becoming too much for him to handle.
An old man suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts. "Your majesty, the time draws near, you must find a wife. You need an heir, the family line must be kept, your parents would want to see-"
Hotohori's fist slammed on the table in front of him. "Don't you think I know that?!" He began to raise his voice. "You don't know what this is like. I've been alone all my life, and I want to choose the right woman!" The anger left him, only to be replaced by pain. He dropped his head, and gestured for the old man to leave, who bowed and receded through the doors.
Where is she? He thought to himself. Miaka was to be the one, but I find myself here alone. Peace has been brought to my country, but nothing had been done for my heart.
He found himself at the pond to the side of the palace, and he sat to look upon the water, hoping that maybe he could find some sort of imperfection in his face, that could possibly give reason to his loneliness.
Staring into the water, no answer came to him. Anger rose inside him as he smacked the water with his hand. He stood, and decided that perhaps it was time to just choose a woman as his wife.
However, when he looked at the water one last time, as a way to almost say goodbye to a dream, he saw a girl crying in the reflection. Surprisingly, his heart seemed to hurt for her; he could see she needed someone, and perhaps, he decided, she might be his if he could help her. But how could he reach her?
**************** "Maybe I could help her, maybe she could tend to my broken heart, as I will hers." A soft voice came from somewhere around her.
Oh no not here, don't tell me some guy followed me again! She thought to herself, as she looked around her, distressed.
As her eyes swept over the pond, she jumped. There was a face there in the water.
"Oh my God, this is so silly, I'm imagining things." Clover blurted all of a sudden. How could a guy be in a reflection when she was there alone?
"I think it's my obligation to correct you," Hotohori replied, clearly surprised as well, but his voice remained soft, "I am in fact real."
She jumped back, but she was curious nonetheless. "S-so, umm, w-what's up?" She waved to the ghostly reflection. Oh God, he must think I'm a retard.
He smiled at her reassuringly, "Right now I'm trying to figure out how on Earth one of us can get to the other side."
"Oh." She blushed. However, before she could say anything else, she heard something behind her.
A young man presumably age sixteen, just like her, leaned against a tree and gave her a sort of smile. He had short black hair, and silver eyes that seemed to glow. He reminded her of a wolf somehow.
It was at that moment she realized she forgot to bring her mace, she looked at the water pleadingly, hoping the dashing man was somehow still there, but he was gone.
"What do you want?"
"It's not good for a girl like you to be so far out in the woods."
She backed away.
"What are you doing here?"
"I followed you."
She did not want to ask, but she knew he wanted her to. "Why?"
"Because I've been watching you. The way you think, you're different." He advanced on her and grabbed her arm before she could turn and run. "And I think you should know, I happen to like, different." He gave her a passionate kiss that ended almost as soon as it had begun.
He turned around and walked away into the woods. She was oddly intrigued and found herself wanting him to kiss her again.
Maniacal splashing ensued behind her, and as she turned around, she saw the boy in the reflection emerging from the water.
"Holy shit!" She jumped. Today was becoming too much for her. "What on. How did. Are you. Whoa."
He bowed to her and introduced himself. "I am Hotohori, emperor of Hong- nan. My curiosity has caused me to pursue the chance of meeting you. I apologize for scaring you."
"I'm Clover. Nice to meet you." She smiled and turned around to go home. This 'Hotohori' seemed a little eccentric for her.
"Please, allow me to escort you home, and perhaps you might tell me about yourself."
"What makes you think I want to talk to you?"
"Your eyes hold the same fear of being alone that mine do." Hotohori said, as he gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
Alone. He was right, and she also remembered her mom and stepfather were going to be out for the next two days. What could it hurt to give the guy a change of clothes and a bed? Someone walking out of the water and reminding you of Price Charming doesn't happen everyday.
She removed his hand from her shoulder. "Fine you can come home with me. You could use some help anyways, it looks like you're wearing a curtain." Clover giggled.
Hotohori looked at her, and then at what he was wearing and blushed. He realized how out of place he was.
"Come on, it's getting late." She grabbed his hand and led the way home.
As they walked in silence, she thought of how soft his eyes were, and his gentle hands. Every few minutes she would look back to make sure he was still there.
"Your house is quite small." Hotohori stated as they neared the door.
Her silence made him rethink what he said. "I'm sorry if I insulted you. I'm just used to the palace."
"Listen, when my Dad died, my mom stopped caring about everyone. We moved out of our old house and ended up in this piece of shit. She put all of her money into a beach house that she makes sure to exclude me from. Would you like me to keep going?" She flung open the door and pulled him in.
He lost the confidence she had seen in him before. "I apologize. I had no idea."
She sighed. "Everyone expects the pretty girl to have a big house and lotsa money. I'm used to it."
Clover left him in the living room as she downstairs into the basement to get some of her old boyfriend's clothes. She went back upstairs, and shoved the clothes into Hotohori's arms, and pointed him to the bathroom.
Her stomach growled, so she decided to go to the kitchen and make some dinner.
"Hey love." The boy with the glowing eyes was seated on the counter.
She dropped the pans she had onto the floor and turned for the door. It was locked.
"What's with the rush?" He looked at her, feigning confusion.
"How did you get in here?"
"Precious little thing, you left the front door unlocked."
"You better watch how you talk to me." She grabbed a butcher knife.
"Whoa, I'm a good person no need for the weapon."
"You should go."
"But you know I'll be back."
She thought about the kiss, and she almost wanted him to come back. "You better not." Her grip on the knife tightened.
"Well I will. And I know you want me to come back." The boy got up, grabbed his jacket, and left through the back door.
She locked the door behind him.
As she got a grip on her surroundings again, she realized Hotohori was trying to open the locked door. "Are you alright in there?" He shouted.
"Umm, yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Sorry about that." She unlocked the kitchen door for him.
"I thought maybe you'd left."
"Oh and where exactly would I go off to?"
He blushed. "I see you are preparing a meal, can I help?"
She looked at the box of Hot-Pockets and chuckled. "No, I can handle this."
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Ah, ok! So where will I be sleeping for the night?"
She hadn't thought of that yet. She couldn't very well leave him alone on the ground floor. Her basement bedroom was as big as the house. He could surely sleep there. She'd sleep at the opposite end.
"Well you can sleep in my room. It's big enough for the both of us." She said matter-of-factly.
He blushed again; she was starting to find it cute. "Oh, jeez! Not like that! I have two mattresses in my room! Oh my God!" She blushed and started laughing.
"So what empire are you from, Clover?"
"Um?"
"Well I've never seen buildings quite like these."
".Boston, Massachusetts."
"Is that Eastern China?"
"United States?"
"I've never heard of this place before then."
"You said empire right?"
He nodded.
"Um, okay, this is going to sound really weird, but I think you might be from the past."
"So you are like Miaka?"
"Is that your girlfriend?"
"She was the only woman I could ever love."
Clover shuffled uncomfortably. She didn't think that he might not be interested in her, and suddenly felt like something was wrong with her. They sat in silence for a few minutes eating their dinner.
He realized she looked hurt. Did she see the potential for the same feelings as he did? Before he could ask her, she looked at the time and decided they'd better get to bed.
Clover showed him to his bed, and told him she was going to go for a walk. She would be back in a few minutes. Little did he know she was going to look for the wolf boy.
She stepped out the door, and into the brisk night air. As she walked towards the woods she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to see him. He had a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
"You came looking for me." He laughed.
She blushed. "No."
"Then why are you out here? I know you're afraid of the dark."
"How did you know that?" She suddenly regretted leaving the house.
"Like I told you before," he sighed, "I've been following you."
She took a step back, and he stepped along with her.
"When will you leave me alone?"
He grabbed her hand and sliced her palm before she could realize what was happening.
"If you aren't mine by the day that wound heals, then you will never see me again."
She stared at her hand and nodded.
He gave her a push back towards her house. "I might have kissed you again, but you have an audience I think."
She turned to see a curtain close. "Hotohori." She whispered. "Before I go, what's your name?"
"Kisei." He said as he turned and walked into the woods.
She walked back home with a pool of blood gathering in her hand, and slowly running down her arm. His touch still seemed to echo on her skin, but all was forgotten as she entered the house.
Hotohori ran up to her. He hadn't seen much, but he saw that wretched vagrant harm her. The situation seemed to have a trace of Miaka in it, and he decided he would have to show Clover he cared. The underlying connection he felt between them was something he surely could not let go of.
She saw the worry on his face. He took one look at her hand and wrapped his arms around her. The love she felt coming from him was like no other she'd ever felt before, and she decidedly hugged him back, she finally felt safe.
But his touch seemed to sting.