Sparkle
6:30 A.M.
That was about the time Arashi Miyu emerged from her room on a regular school morning, dazed as she stumbled and banged around, trying to find a path to the kitchen. Her eyes were unfocused and at most all you could get from the young girl was a mere moan or a twisted version of a yawn. For three long years she started her days, for the majority of the time, just like that. Rushing out to reach Shishigaku Middle School before the first bell rang. It was nothing too interesting. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Miyu was fine with that.
She really didn't mind being normal.
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"Late again Arashi-san?" one boy on the school's tennis team, she couldn't remember his name for the life of her, called out at the girl's sprinting frame. Pausing to jog in place and turn her head to him, Miyu nodded absently. "Might want to hurry then, Ginta-sensei is so mad steam is gonna blow out his ears if he catches you again!"
Still moving her feet in a rhythm, Miyu stared at the player for a moment or two before his statement truly started to dawn upon her. "He knows?!"
"You aren't exactly discreet with how you slip into the classroom."
"Crap-! I gotta go!"
With her peer's light laugh, it faded into nervousness as he shakily spoke again. "Ah… Uhm.. A-Arashi-san! Please come to the tennis courts after school, I-if you don't mind! D-dewa mata atode(1)"
Brushing it off with the faint wave of a hand over her shoulder, Miyu started off on her path once more, not being given the leisure of even a second to think of what the young man wanted from her.
Because Miyu usually didn't go near the tennis courts. Nor any other court. Or field. Or anything of the sort. Even in gym she was picked last, due to the fact that she only did enough activity and work to get herself a passing grade. Her friends seemed to find it insanely amusing, how anyone could be so close to failing gym of all things. Constantly people asked why she didn't try out for the girls' track team. Only, they'd never seen her run. Truth be told, Miyu's 'sprint' was actually very slow. It was because she was late, which made her move faster, that no one saw, and could just hear the rumors from the rare few who had. It was her dirty little secret, one that only she could know.
Arashi Miyu hated sports with every bone in her body.
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So Ginta-senpai had been ready to explode. In Miyu's famous words- "It's fine, it's fine. It's all good. Don't worry."
Not that anyone believed her when she said that.
"Arashi! Do you know how bad your record is going to look because of all these tardies?! How do you expect to get yourself into any good university at this rate?!" That was just how the lecture went and went. Miyu had herself plopped down in one of the hard desk seats, boredly feigning an expression that seemed to be paying active attention to her teacher. Future this, future that… why on earth should she care about something she might do or could happen? Adults were just paranoid- that was the girl's logic.
"Don't worry, I've got it handled."
Ginta exasperatedly sighed and placed thick fingers to his forehead's temple, a weary look coming across the elder man's face. "Arashi, you're a bright girl and a quick thinker. You've always managed to come up with a plan to get yourself out of trouble. What happens when you can't though? What are you going to do without an education?"
"I'll work at McDonalds'."
Her teacher groaned.
"I'm only kidding Ginta-sensei! Of course I'll go to college."
"That's exactly what I'm saying. How are you going to get into one if you have so many tardies? I'm afraid I'll be forced to take disciplinary actions counting the latest one this morning."
"Detention isn't going to solve anything."
"But a grade might. Look, I'll give you one more shot. But if you have one, just one, more tardy then I'm going to need to ask you to join a club, or something as the president."
"How's that going to help anything, and how would I even become president? Wasn't that decided at the beginning of the year?!"
"Not quite, there are some exceptions where a few clubs have far too little members. Or you could at least be a manager or on a team."
That was where he began to drone on. Miyu knew he was just worried about her, she loved the old guy like another father. He looked out for her a lot, even when she'd thought she'd been doing some rather clever business. The idea of joining a club itched at her skin, nearly giving her hives. Her nose wrinkled lightly and Miyu shifted in her seat, plagued by unpleasant images of the suggestions he was presenting her with. Thank heavens it was the end of the day. The only thing she needed to do was head out to the courts, something that made her twitch, and then the schoolgirl could go home and relax.
"Promise me you'll try?"
"Sure. Why not, Ginta-sensei?"
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How long had it been since she'd last seen what tennis courts looked like? The memory was foggy a minute ago before Ginta-sensei let her out, and now it was clear as broad daylight. Chills ran up and down her skin, and Miyu could swear she felt goose-bumps coming on with the warm spring weather. Her movements were slow and tentative as she tried to keep composure when heading towards the team. Her nerves were completely shot.
Some other team was here, Higa probably, considering they were the only other team she really heard about when the students gushed over tennis. Miyu may not have liked it, but she wasn't oblivious. The tennis team used to be huge back in freshman year. Even Miyu couldn't deny their two star players' ability. Tachibana Kippei and Chitose Senri, well-known legends on the campus. She couldn't remember correctly, but they both ended up transferring because of an accident or something. But even then she didn't care much.
"A-Ah! Arashi-san, you came!"
With every step the boy took as he came running over to her with a goofy grin on his face, her blood pressure was rising. She couldn't stand being here. The air was getting stuck in her throat, cold sweat was beginning to run down her body like an intoxicating, icy fire.
People were looking, they were all talking. It was so loud. Everyone's voices blared in her head at full-volume. Miyu felt like she was ready to burst.
"Your new girlfriend Daimaru?" some of the other boys laughed. That must have been his first name, now she remembered. He blushed and shouted something back that Miyu wasn't able to comprehend.
"I'm sorry Arashi-san… to call you out here like this, you know…" A nervous laugh erupted from his throat as he rubbed the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. "It's just… I mean, I was kind of hoping… a little that maybe we could just…"
Didn't he ever shut up? Her adrenaline was racing faster.
And faster.
Faster.
Faster!
"Why did you even call me here?! I don't even remember your name! I never had!" She was out of control now, it couldn't be helped. "You must be a bloody idiot or something, this is so ridiculous! I don't care about you or your stupid, stupid, stupid tennis! It's idiotic, is what it is! It drives me mad just being here, and you have the nerve to try and put the moves on me?! Just go away!"
Miyu heard the silence that seemed to linger like sticky honey in the air, it dripped nectar on her skin and the slimy substance dribbled down her entity. She kept her eyes low, arms wrapped tightly in defense and security around her stomach, as Miyu felt the stinging tears slowly invade her eyesight. It wasn't good for her to be here; everyone would be better off as she left. So the girl ran, her legs pumped as hard as they could to get away. The need to breathe was nagging at the poor young woman.
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"Pwee" Kai exhaled, leaning against the chained fence with the rest of the Higa tennis team regulars. "Wonder what her damage is. That was harsh of the devil-lady." A playful smile flirted it's way on to his lips.
"Kai," Kite responded, pushing up his glasses that gleamed in the afternoon light, "Go to the courts and start warming up with Rin. Any more comments on what just happened and you'll be eating Goya for a week. Both of you." Their captain ordered calmly, casually glancing back in the direction which the heart-breaker had run off. She sure was odd.
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"Everything okay honey?" Her mother's voice called out to the entering girl who'd slammed the door behind her slender body and sniffled in synch with the heaving of her shoulders.
"Fine." Miyu called back nonchalantly, lowering her head while her feet pounded up the stairs to her room. Her body couldn't move fast. She hated it; that 'ability' always left her to be teased by the other children. Her schoolbag landed with a thunk on her bedroom's floor, and Miyu flung herself onto her bed, arms hiding her face's frame as it buried itself into the soft, soothing pillow below. Legs curled up to her stomach, and Arashi Miyu had sealed herself into a tight, little cocoon.
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Scrubbing the toothbrush around her teeth, Miyu looked lazily into the mirror, though from appearance she could have very well been staring at nothing. Her eyes were nearly dead at this rate, and it was half expected that they would roll back and her body would collapse in an unmoving heap. The sound of her younger brother's foot creating conflict with the closed, and locked, bathroom door droned out into empty silence within her ears. Yesterday had really shaken the poor woman up pretty badly.
Love confessions weren't something she got every day, hardly in two years time even, and she'd completely flipped out on him. He hadn't known about her fears or dislikes. He didn't know much of anything about her, so Daimaru had probably assumed she'd be fine meeting at a tennis court, for convenience on his part. After all, 99 of the rest of humanity's girls were fine with courts. They weren't exactly terrifying, if you caught her drift.
"Hurry up Onee-chan!" called out the high voice of Taro.
"Hai, Hai…" Her voice echoed, words slurred from the mint toothpaste that stained her tongue with bitter taste.
Spitting the liquid into the glossy white sink, Miyu turned herself around, shoulders sagging, and heard her hand bring on the click of the lock. Once the door opened Taro was rushing in head-first, almost having kicked his elder sister. As soon as she was fully out the door though, it was slammed instantly behind her. Nothing made a difference anymore.
It was when Miyu was downstairs and sitting at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee, three lumps of sugar added already, that her mom sat down across from her. The woman put her arms calmly onto the table's surface, a gentle smile on her face when she directed her eyes to her daughter. Miyu didn't even blink at the stare.
"Coffee isn't going to keep you going all day."
"I know."
"Do you have plans later? It's your day off after all."
"Nope."
The smile eventually faded slowly to an expression of concern. "I'm not going to let you stay cooped up all day, just so you know."
"Okay."
Getting through to a depressed Arashi Miyu was nearly impossible. A mischievous twinkle flashed through her mother's eye though. "Then how about you go get me some doughnuts? I've really been craving some, but we ran out yesterday. I don't want to go get them myself because Taro's friend is coming over to play in a half hour."
Miyu's eyes glanced up at her mother's round face, finally distancing themselves from her untouched coffee. When her mother resorted to strategies like this one, then she knew that there was absolutely no choice at all in the matter on Miyu's side. She was completely trapped.
"…Fine."
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Money pocketed in her jeans, Miyu had tied up her hair messily and shrugged on the first shirt she saw, turning out to be a plain, boring tank top. She'd ended up going out for the 'doughnuts', even though she thought -no, knew- her mother didn't really want them. She hadn't been craving them in the least.
Paroling the conbini's(2) aisles of assorted items sold at cheap prices, Miyu had somehow wandered into the hair care section. Truthfully, it was one she liked. The shampoo bottles were always such pretty colors, and she loved just examining the different names that companies gave their products.
Brightening up for a minute at the spot of her favorite brand, Miyu reached out to grab it, and yet her fingers clashed with another's. Blinking lightly in surprise, her orbs traveled to the man's, she could already tell from his strong feeling fingers, arm. Muscular and tan, had to be an athlete or something. Maybe-
"Pardon me, but aren't you the girl from the tennis courts?"
"Eh?"
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"Sou desu ka(3)…" Miyu laughed with a breath of relief. Such feigned acting. The memory of what happened began to bite at her insides, "So you were there to see… that."
Kite, that was his name, nodded. He was from the Higa tennis team, captain as he'd told Miyu. Apparently the whole team had gotten some amusement from watching her stunt the other day. Had it been that memorable? Would it haunt her like such? The odd pair exited the store already, and casually walking. From a stranger's eyes they wouldn't look like anything less than a young couple. The thought of dating a tennis player, much less a leader, gave her the shivers.
"Un4," He simply said to her. It was nice that he wasn't outrageously talkative. "Are you-"
"So! What were you doing in the hair product aisles by yourself Kite-kun?"
"Ah, I'm particular about my hair. I'm a very routine-oriented person."
A light giggle escaped out of her throat and she raised her fingers to her lips to girlishly pretend to hide it. With one eye closed, Miyu lifted the other to look up at Kite's perfectly positioned and gelled locks.
"How long does it take you to do that every morning?"
"One hour, fifteen minutes." His response was prompt, starting nearly as soon as her question was finished. That only set Miyu out into another burst of laughter.
"I suppose you were just there to re-stock on supplies yourself?"
"Not quite. Just there to get out of the house a bit." So she was stretching the truth a little. That was fine. Why shouldn't she? He was handsome, went to a different school, and they were walking together. There was no reason to not push the fairytale any further.
"Then, if you don't have anything else planned, want to come see a play with me?"
The suggestion caught the girl off-guard. "Don't you have to get tickets before-hand for that sort of thing?"
"Yes, well, who I was planning to go with had to cancel."
"That's a shame then. Will your girlfriend get angry though?"
"…I was talking about my younger sister."
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In the end she'd ended up going along to see the play. What really surprised her was that he didn't press on what happened the other day. He'd been there. She'd been there. And she ended up flipping out. So wasn't he just the least bit curious on what had been going, if anything, through her head? Or was he just polite enough to notice it made her uncomfortable, lightly putting it, that was.
Either way, Miyu didn't know what to think. She'd been so depressed she could barely move coming out, and now she felt brighter than a 100 watt light bulb. Kite was so… astounding. He was polite, and kind, and listened… Then again, they had spent, oh… what, say thirty to forty minutes together at the most? Certainly one way to quickly fall in love, it was. But it couldn't have been possible for her to fall for him already. Blasphemy.
The play was magnificent. For the parts that Miyu could even concentrate. Her face was blushing beet red at how close she sat to her companion. He, on the other hand, was focused intently on the performance. It was one of those historical plays apparently. But what guy took a girl to one of these willingly? By choice even. Kite really was one in a million. Arashi Miyu had always been one to get ahead of herself rather quickly though.
"Did you enjoy it?" The sound of his smooth voice was like Egyptian Cotton being draped all over her frame.
"A-Ah… yes. It was very excellently played out." Miyu stuttered lightly, trying to cover up the fact she'd missed half the performance. But heck, Kite's smile was so calculated and contagious. "Say, Kite-kun… wh-what type of girl do you like…?"
Her question surprised him, Miyu could tell that much already. Biting at her lower lip, she lowered her head, ready to change the subject in the flicker of a second. Suspense and anxiety lingered between the pair as they walked in silence. The man, thinking something over. The woman, utterly flustered. Perfect.
"I would have to say…," Kite started, pausing as if to go over his answer before finalizing it, "A quick-"
Quick was all it took for Miyu to use that second. "Do you see plays here often? It looked like the staff knew you."
Warm wind rustled through bushels of leaves bunched together high up in the trees, and Miyu felt the air fly through her hair, awaiting his response. "I do. It's convenient for me, since it's so close to the tennis courts over there."
"Ten… Cour…?" What a meek voice.
"Would you like to play?"
No way. Arashi Miyu wanted to be dipped in toxic waste and rolled in poisonous spiders while snakes were shoved down her throat more than she wanted to go play tennis. Some fairytale prince Kite Eishirou was.
So why was he already heading over to those grounds of doom? Why was he waving her over with that smile of his. She always hated that smile. She hated the little time they'd had together. She hated the way he'd managed to make her feel in that same amount of time.
Good heavens… Miyu was really falling for him.
"Arashi-san?"
"I'm not going!" was her sudden outburst, not unlike yesterday's encounter. People were staring, this was a public street. This was childish behavior. So would someone tell her how come she couldn't stop it?
"Are you feeling well Arashi-san?"
"Stop saying my name! Just… Just stop saying anything!" Murmurs fled through the crowd that gathered about as fast as a juicy rumor would in an American high school. "Stupid Kite-kun!"
Now that was childish.
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With her head on her desk, Miyu felt unsettled still by the occurrences that she seemed to be getting herself into lately. What happened to ordinary? What happened to that normal morning she used to have? How could two simply short situations affect her so?
Damn those questions.
At the bell's ringing, her body stood slowly and sloth-like, all her will power completely evaporated. So much illogical behavior had taken it's toll on a quick-thinker like Miyu. With eyes half closed, she slung her bag over her shoulder, and exited the school after gathering needed things. Daimaru hadn't looked at her once. Nor had the rest of the tennis team. A lot of people had whispered when she walked by though. An ear for an ear. An eye for an eye.
That didn't surprise her and her dumb, slow-moving self much though. It was expected. What wasn't though, was his frame at the school gates, glasses still gleaming with sparkles dancing upon them.
Kite Eishirou.
Plan number one was to walk by him silently with no recognition. The second was to put a faint nod of the head in there, but still go on her way. For a third? There wasn't one. Plan uno seemed that it would be the least painful. If Kite didn't ruin that too.
"Arashi-san." So he was here for her. Miyu hadn't expected him to care too much, despite the fact she'd pretty much stormed away, as fast as a person in her condition could, after her announcement.
Biting her lip lightly, brows furrowed narrowly together in a tight knot, she stopped her steps to look at the taller man. "Nani(5)?"
"I wanted to apologize for yesterday and my insensitivity. Do you feel that uncomfortable around courts?"
Stupid Kite. Stupid sparkling glasses. Stupid ability to see straight through her.
"What does it matter now? What's done is done. Go play your tennis."
Beginning to turn and walk away in a huff, that same strong, tanned hand grabbed her shoulder gently. It sent shivers down her spine and made her heart beat out of her chest.
"Arashi-san, I don't want to leave until-"
"Until what?!" Vehemently Miyu jerked her shoulder from his grasp, a sudden burst of rage and despair filling her soul. "Until you finally crack me?! Until I can't stand to even hear your voice?! I move slow, I'm not able to go fast! Are you happy?! Are you satisfied Kite-baka(6)?! You… You and your quick girlfriends! I hate you! I hate you! This is so stupid!"
Letting her hands slide up to hide her contorted face dripping tears of emotion, she didn't have to turn and look to know that people watched while they walked. Unfortunately, the young Arashi was never given the chance to take a peek. She was pulled into Kite's embrace too soon.
They stood like that. He felt so warm with his body touching hers. Those tingles were near maniac level at this rate. Certainly not good for her heart. The tears didn't stop though, they blinded both her vision and conscious state, so much so that Miyu didn't notice just how much she was staining his school jacket. All with the guy she'd only met yesterday.
His hand caressed her hair softly, trying to soothe the upset woman the best he could. "If you hadn't jumped to conclusions…" Lowering his head so his lips were brushing her ear, "You would have heard me say I like quick-thinking women." The hot breath made her nearly loose her balance.
"Should we try that day again, Arashi Miyu-san?"
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Weeks Later.
Kai lazily opened one eye to look out the window at his side, bubblegum popping in his mouth.
"Oi, Rin. Who's the chick with buchou(7)?"
His fair-haired friend looked up from the fashion magazine he'd been browsing while the two strolled the halls. "Nn? Haven't you heard already?" Rin didn't look up once from the paper in his hands. "Buchou's new girlfriend. Someone from Shishigaku I think."
The sparkling glass made it hard to see clearly, but the two were on the tennis courts, Kite supportively and patiently coaching the girl with him. Devil-lady from that time a while back. Before he passed the window completely, the last thing that Kai saw was Kite's lips gently moving down to meet the girl's.
There was a sparkle in the way they kissed.
- FIN -
(1) See you later
(2) A convenience store
(3) Is that right
(4) Yeah
(5) What
(6) Roughly means ' Stupid Kite! '
(7) Captain
A/N - I had fun with this xD Especially the heroine's character. She actually says the word 'Stupid' a lot when she's feeling negative. It's one of her quirks. Higa needs love though.