Sage

by Suzuran Sakura

Sage knew very well she wasn't normal, being sick and able to sense when someone was going to die wasn't even close to normality, but she never thought that there was stranger things that exist that hid in the shadows of the night.

Chapter 1

.

The loud ringing of my alarm clock echoed through my bedroom and straight into my eardrums that pounded with agony at the sound. Fighting the blankets to get off of me, however them deciding differently, tangled around me, almost into a choke hold well I fought and wriggled around only to end up falling off the side of the bed, just barely grazing my head on the nightstand on my way down to the floor and landing with a loud thud and cry of pain.

"Ah..."I gasped, throwing the blankets off from over my head, my black hair sticking up in static and some pieces clung to my jaw and cheeks. "Morning." I sighed and dragged myself from the blankets that threaten to cling to me once more and picked it up, throwing it back onto the bed and sighed as my heart palpitated in my chest. I rested my hand between on breasts feeling the abnormality of the pounding. It always freaked me out and also amazed me at how hard it could beat.

Pushing back my strange thoughts, I decided to start my day before I got into trouble for being late once again and grabbed my phone, putting on a song that had been in my head for the last few days, before placing the phone back on the nightstand and letting the loud music blare through the speakers.

I quickly went to my bathroom that connected to my bedroom and started the bath, sitting on the rim on the bath and humming the lyrics of the song as I leaned over, plugging in the plug and opening the taps, letting the water flow out. "Days are so long! Do you not believe we're in heaven?" I sang as I sat back up, my heart once again palpitating but I didn't pay much attention to it. "Days are so long! Do you not believe, do you not believe?"

I walked back into my bedroom and started making the bed. "Days are so long! Kuuhaku de mitashita toumei. I can't even try!" I fluffed up the pillows before placing them back to their right positions. "Time, time is rushing. I sit and watch the hours. Nobody understands." Standing back up straight, I made my way to my walk-in closet, looking for my school uniform. "Lost, lying to myself. Drifting into. Space and memories. Till I heard this song that fell from the sky." Finding my uniform, I flung it over my shoulder as I went, looking for some underwear to wear and my black thigh high socks. "When I heard this song that fell from the sky!" Getting all my things, I went back to the bedroom and over to my dressing table, placing the items on it and my socks on the back of the chair. "Omoi egaita risou mo kotoba mo. Hanare banare no mama sotto nijinda. Hiraita hitomi no kagami ni wa semai. Sora ga utsuru. Mada ima wa."

I rushed back into the bathroom, quickly shutting off the bath water and running my hands through it, making sure it wasn't too hot. "Days are so long! Do you not believe we're in heaven? Days are so long! Do you not believe, do you not believe?" Stripping out of my pajamas, I greedy relaxed into the just right water. "Days are so long! Kuuhaku de mitashita toumei! I can't even try!"

I sunk back into the water with my head resting back and my nose and eyes just visible as I carried humming the song in my head, letting my body suck up all the warmth of the water.

My, mind is open. But all the doors are closing. Here in front of me. Pain, like a river. Flowing into space and memories. Till I heard this song that fell from the sky. When I heard this song that fell from the sky. Toori sugiru jikan mo keshiki mo. Hanare banare no mama sotto nijinda. Hiraita hitomi no kagami ni wa semai. Sora ga utsuru. Mada ima wa. Omoi egaita risou mo kotoba mo. Tsunagi tomete mama tsuyoku nigitte. Hiraita hitomi no kagami ni wa donna sora ga utsuru kitto ima nara.

Sitting up and getting ready for the chorus, I opened my mouth. "DAYS ARE SO LONG!"

"MILADY!" The music from my room was abruptly shut off as the stern voice of a very familiar woman yelled at me.

I cringed, sinking back into the water as she stormed into the bathroom, stopped right there next to the tub and hovered over me like a dark cloud with her hands on her hips and a harsh glare in her eyes. She was dressed like she would any other day, in a maids outfit but not like those ones that people cosplay as, no this was a proper maid's outfit, and with her brown hair up in a bun. Her face, although intimidating at first, was really warm and soft, with a few lines and here and there, although not enough to actually think she was over sixty years old, and soft blue eyes.

"Are you going to stay in the bath all day, milady?" She said with a dark smile that dared to be challenged and so I challenged.

"I was thinking about it, but thought against it. Do you want to know why?" I asked, smirking up at her, knowing I was getting on her nerves.

She huffed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she did.

"See the problem is, the water will eventually get cold and if I stay too long in the water, I will get all wrinkly like you. See, it's a real problem."

"Indeed, milady. Especially if you stay too long in the bath, you will end up dying from choking on water." She smirked darkly, playing along with my game.

"Why?" I asked innocently as I splashed the water back and forth in the tub.

"Because I will drown you! Now get out of the bath!" She snapped ending the game, reaching out to pull me out. I cringed back and splashed the water up at her. She jumped back as the water rained on her; she looked up at me, the hurt look in her eyes. "Milady! Come on, you don't want to upset the Master do you?"

"I'm sorry..." I trailed glancing down and nodding my head. "I will be quick." I muttered as I grabbed the soap and started scrubbing my body.

I heard her sigh again before she knelt down, grabbing the shampoo and started with my head, messaging my head as she washed. I liked the feeling, for a second relaxing back into her touch only for her to huff snapping me out my lazy state. "Sorry." I muttered as I took in a deep breath and ducked my head under the water, raising the shampoo out of my hair. Coming back up to the surface, I took in a sharp breath of air, cringing from the feeling of the water blocked in my ears. "Uh, I can't heard." I moaned digging my finger into my right ear in the attempt to get release from the water; however my hand was slapped away. I looked up at her, faking a hurt look but she ignored me and gestured for me to get out the bath, turning her back on me and going and retrieving a towel.

Grabbing a hold of the sides of the tub to slowly sand up, my vision spotting black, my heart racing again as I lifted my left leg out and over the side and down on the tiled floor, before doing the same with my left and finally I was out with a soft towel wrapped around my naked form.

Smirking up at her in triumph for the fact that I got so much done without her help, she sternly glared at me, her head slightly shaking from side to side, I stuck out my tongue, pasting by her and heading to my bedroom, quickly drying myself while she got out the hairdryer and plugged it in.

I picked up my uniform from the dressing table, and started to dress. First, my underwear of course, which was a white bra and black panties, nothing ever fancy, then a white dress shirt which I buttoned up after a few tries, the black skirt which I made a point of wearing over my knees, then a deep black v-neck vest over the dress shirt and over that a black blazer, and then the bows, the pain in my butt. Turning to the floor length mirror, I started with the big white one first just above the v of the vest and then the red right around the collar of the shirt.

"Finally." I sighed as the tied the red one securely so it wouldn't fall off during the night. "Now the socks." I sat down on the chair, grabbing the first of the pair, leaning over and slipping it on right up to my thigh and then doing the same with the other. "Done!" I smiled sitting up straight, ignoring the pounding in my heart, and turned to see a pair of brown shoes hovering in front of my face, taunting me.

"Not yet, Milady." She smirked; she clicked the shoes together before reaching down and putting them on my feet.

I pouted down at her. "I could have done that." I whined as she stood back up and went behind me, grabbing the brush and hairdryer from the table and clicked it on. The loud sound making my whines far in the background but that didn't sway me. Instead, I carried on, raising my voice in the hope to overpower the sound. "I'm not a child! I can do things on my own!" I yelled but the only thing I got in response was the brush brushing through my knotted wet hair and making me wince in pain as it tugged on my skull, daring to ripped out a clump of hair and possibly my head off my shoulders as well.

After ten agonizing minutes of the heat and sound of the hairdryer rattling on my head and in my ears, my hair was finally done, tied back into a high ponytail, with strands framing my face and cheekbones. I jumped up from the chair, bouncing over to my bag and picking it up before arriving at the door, I span around to face the maid. "Thanks, Yuzuki! I'm off now!" I sang, twisting the knob, getting ready to bolt out the door and to the car.

"Breakfast." Her voice sharp and cutting through my attempted plans but that didn't stop me.

"Not hungry." I answered, pulling the door open only to be greeted by two giant men in black suits.

Uh?

"The Master insists." She smirks darkly, the dark cloud forming around her again. I grimaced as two larger hands gripped my shoulders, I sighed, my shoulders sagging in defeat. I lost again.

I pouted in annoyance, the look didn't once leave my face, not when the two arms went under my armpits and lifted me up from floor and carried me down the corridors and down the twenties steps of the staircase and to the dining room where my bag was taken from me, then I was placed in the chair finally free to move my arms and crossed them across my chest and huffed, refusing to look at the 'Master'.

"Not going to acknowledge me, huh?" He asked genuinely concerned.

I shook my head, my ponytail slapping me in the face as I moved my head from side to side.

"And no speaking either?" His voice playful.

"No." I muttered, eyeing the plate of food in front of me.

"Ah, she spoke!" He exclaimed, the sound of his hands planting together echoed in my ears.

"No, I didn't." I grumbled.

"She did it again!"

"No, I didn't!" I snapped, slamming my hands on the table a little too roughly, making them tingling in pain but I didn't let it show, or I hope it didn't.

His hands were cupped together in front of his face, hiding the smirk I was sure on his lips. "How are you feeling?"

I slouched back into the seat, crossing my arms over my chest again and pouted, looking elsewhere.

"Sage." He said my name sternly, with an undertone of warning to it, but it didn't faze me instead it angered me.

"Daddy! I'm not a child!" I snapped a slight whine still in my voice, sitting upright and looking straight into his brown eyes, the sides wrinkling from old age. "I don't need help getting dressed! I don't need people to feed me or brush my teeth or hair! I can do those things all by myself! I can make my own bed; I can get my clothes from the wardrobe." I stated listing off the things with my fingertips. "I can put on my own shoes and take them off. I can wash my hair. I can walk down a flight of stairs. I can carry my bag. I can...I can..." My mind had gone blank and I panicked. "I can do things by myself!" I quickly added, in the hope that he didn't notice but the now visible smirk on his lips said otherwise.

"I know, I know." He lowered his hands to the table, his face now taking on a more serious tone. "I know my baby girl is all grown up now, however-" He raised his hand, his index finger up and pointing. "Being grown up and sick are two different things."

I sighed, slumping back into the chair. I had heard this lecture so many times by now. What was it now? Fiftieth time? No, a lot more. Around a million times more times I had heard it.

"-as well as the fact that you have to go to night school because of it."

I raised my hand, opening and closing it to the words, rolling my eyes to the many of his reasoning to why I couldn't go to day school. Too many people around, with bacteria and viruses; makes me sick. Sun, too much UV rays; makes me sick. Clubs, excises, makes me sick and tired. Gossip and overdramatically student's problem such as fitting in and making friends; makes me sick and stressed.

"And how would you know all of that?" I cut in of his speech that got more and more hysterical by the second that even one of the maids had to go over to him to calm him down. I rolled my eyes, when he opened his mouth to start explaining again but I quickly cut him off, telling him the real truth, and not the one he believed. "I've been homeschooled since I could speak, Daddy. I never had any friends. The only reason why you let me go to school in the first place is because I begged and pleaded with you for ten years before you finally broke and even then I had to go during the night when there is hardly anyone there! Daddy, I'm graduating this year, when are you going to stop and let me live my life, or once I graduate are you going to lock me up in this house until I'm nothing but a skeleton?!"

He held his finger to his chin, contemplating my question. "Actually, that's not such a bad idea." He said in total sincerity.

My jaw fell open at his words; I stared at him in disbelief. "Hell no!" I snapped standing up again. "I did not just hear that. You did not just say that. Hell to the no!"

"Language!"

"Daddy, you can't be serious about this! You really expect me to be calm when you say you're going to lock me up until I die. What about love? What about me having children? A family? A life?"

"You can have it all here. I can arrange for a lovely gentleman for you. You can-"

"No! I'm not listening. I'm not listening to any of this." Covering my hands over my ears I started singing loudly to cover up his words. "Lalalalala! I'm not listening! I'm not listening to my insane father! I'm not listening! Lalalalalalalalala!" My singing of the 'insane father' went on for quite a bit until a hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked back up at Yuzuki, and then lowered to her hands, her left hand bounced up and down on the back of her right wrist to signal it was time to leave.

"Okay!" I shouted abruptly. Daddy's words dying on his lips as he glanced between me and Yuzuki. "Time to go! See you later, Daddy." Grabbing the plate I rushed out of the room, hearing him shout back. "Love you and keep safe!"

I just kept going until I reached the front door, two men on either side grabbing the door handles and pulling it open for me. "Hurry up." I snapped to Yuzuki as she waddled after me.

"Yes, yes. Coming." She breathed, handing me my bag and a fork as I jumped into the limousine and took the items from her. "Be kind to the Master. He only wants to the best for you, Milady."

I nodded my head, knowing it wasn't the time or place for this conversation. "Yes. Thank you." I quickly muttered. She nodded her head, standing back and closing the door for me, the clear worry written on her face and causing even more wrinkles to appear.

I felt bad for making her feel like that, but Daddy is completely out of his mind, like he really wants to lock me up here forever.

The limousine slightly jolted as it moved forward and away from my mansion of a home. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Yuzuki waving. I would have waved back, however thanks to the tinted windows; I didn't think she would have been able to see me. Slumping back in my seat, I opened my bag, pulling out the little packet and water bottle, with the plate lying on my legs. Breaking the cap of the bottle, I took a gulp before taking a couple of bites of my breakfast, slowly munching until it came to swallow, my heart doing a jump when for a second it didn't go down completely in the first swallow and quickly gulped some more water.

Sighing, I pealed the packet open revealing the hundreds of tablets that I had to take daily and hourly. Placing one tablets right at the back of my tongue and then swallowed, thankfully without any problems and repeated with each one, however by tablet five I almost choked quickly taking a swing of the bottle and just sitting, letting my body and heart calm down.

With shaking hands I downed the rest of my tablets with water not having any courage to test it again. I knew my limits, even though I refused to acknowledge them sometimes. After all the tablets were gone and just a little bit of water left, I didn't have any energy to finish my breakfast so simply put the plate on the seat on the right of me and looked out the window, resting my elbow on the side of the door and my face in the palm of my hand, aimlessly watching the scenery go by, only noting the large willow tree that looked like a tree house for the dead.

The dead...Daddy really is planning to lock me up until I die, isn't he? Laughing lightly, I shook my head. He's really going to like this one. I just imaged him rolling his eyes as I told him what my father was up to now. Even if he refused to let it show, I knew he found my stories rather amusing.

Reaching over for my bag, I dug around before finding my mp3 and earphones and slipping them over my ears and turning the music as high as I could without causing permanent damage. Days are so long! Do you not believe we're in heaven? Days are so long! Do you not believe, do you not believe? The sound blared in my ears and I smiled, closing my eyes and drifting away from the world for a second. Days are so long! Kuuhaku de mitashita toumei. I can't even try!

"Time, time is rushing. I sit and watch the hours. Nobody understands. Lost, lying to myself. Drifting into. Space and memories. Till I heard this song that fell from the sky. When I heard this song that fell from the sky!" I mumbled softly. "Omoi egaita risou mo kotoba mo. Hanare banare no mama sotto nijinda. Hiraita hitomi no kagami ni wa semai. Sora ga utsuru. Mada ima wa."

"Days are so long!"

Do you not believe we're in heaven?

"Days are so long! Do you not believe, do you not believe?"

Days are so long! Kuuhaku de mitashita toumei!

"I can't even try!"

Suddenly a hand rested on my shoulder, startled I jumped, my eyes darting to meet the person holding the door for me. He looked down at me, his face just as startled and confused as I think mine looked. Smiling, I laughed, brushing away the tension that was in the air. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep." I pushed myself up and out of the limousine without his help and when I turned around to retrieve my bag it was already in his hands and handing it over to me, however hesitated just before my grasp.

"Milady, if you are not feeling well, I can inform the school and you can go home."

"No!" I snapped back before my mind had caught up on what he had just said. "I'm fine, really, I'm fine. No need to take me back home." To that insane father of mine. "Really, I'm good. I better head off. Class gonna start soon. See you later, Ryou."

I hurriedly rushed up the few steps before he could object and into the castle-like building and rounding the corner, stopping short in time to not fall over my feet, at the stairs that was before me. I was no sick, weakly that couldn't look after myself. I was perfectly normal...well...as normal as I could be.

While absently walking up the stairs, I slung my bag forward onto my left arm and quickly checked to see if I had accidentally left the zip open and dropped some of my things from within. No, it seems I didn't lose anything this time. Wait, where is my phone? Shit, did I leave it in my bedroom? No impossible. I couldn't have left it at home. "Yuzuki...always puts my phone and pills in my bag..." I mumbled panicking about my phone. See, I was just like every other teenager; I was obsessed over my phone and certainly could survive without it for even one hour. Shit, will I have to get someone to bring it? What if it's not there? "...Even if it's there...how am I going to phone them to get it... I'm screwed." Daddy would just use this as another reason for me to never leave the house.

Sighing in defeat and my heart still palpitating in my chest in anxiety with not having my phone on my being, I was so unfocused as to where I was going, that when I reached the last step and lifted my foot to take the next when I was met with nothing and sharply fell forward. "Ah!" I cried, my eyes closing tightly, my arms clenching around my bag and body tensing expecting the impact of the hard cold floor only for my face to land against something covered in clothing, however still having hardness to it. My legs gave out underneath me, my knees bashing against the edge of the last step and then my body leaning backwards, gravity pulling me down the flight of stairs, and just when I thought that I would end up falling down the stairs, a hand grabbed at my collar, pulling me forward and up, my body landed upright into a hard object.

I didn't dare move for a second, my heart still palpitating in my ears loudly, my breathing coming out panted and my body shook in shock of all out what just transpired, although all of that was cut short when the hard object pushed and retracted against my arms still clenching my bag to my chest. Pealing open my eyes, I gazed up into a pair of red eyes with dark glasses framing over them.

"Reiji Sakamaki..." I breathed staring up at him in disbelief. Quickly getting over my shock over being saved by him, I stepped back, but just as quickly he grabbed my elbow pulling forward into his chest once again.

"Are you an imbecile?!" He snapped sharply, his hold on my elbow painful but I was used to that amount of discomfort.

"No." I snapped back just as sharply, struggling to get out of his grip. "Let me go!"

"Certainly, if you wish to fall down the stairs."

I stilled, slowly peering over my shoulder seeing the stairs just a step behind me. "Oh..."

"Indeed." He said coldly, stepping away from me.

I sighed in relief from his presence no longer being so close to mine, looking back up at him as he stared at me with his cold eyes, as if he was expecting something from me. Frowning, I was about to step around him and head to the room when he spoke.

"Isn't it manners to thank someone after they have saved you." It may have sounded like a question but with him, that certainly wasn't a question.

"Uh, yes, right. Thank you for saving me Reiji-san." I clung to my bag tightly, feeling uncomfortable under his intense gaze. I could only image what was going on in his head. After all, I wasn't his favorite person, and he was certainly wasn't mine, especially after the things he said about my best and only friend.

Silence was his reply as he gazed at me, like he was expecting more, which I was not going to give to him. If he wanted something else for me to say, I would certainly love to tell him to go and #$# himself. I smiled sweetly at him, tilting my head to the side. "Is something the matter Reiji-sama?" My voice clearly dripping with sarcasm and resentment.

His eyes sharpened for a second before he shook his head and simply walked off, his body came dangerously close to brushing against mine as he past, my arms tensing as goose bumps formed along them from the coldness of his presence. I silently watched as he rounded a corner and disappeared completely from my view.

"Asshole." I muttered under my breath before rushing to the room. I knew what that was all about; it was a warning, a warning to stay away from him, my best friend.

Grabbing the door handle, I threw open the door. "SHUU!" I screamed storming into the music room and to the figure laying on the floor, hunched over, his curly blonde hair covering his face and his arms crossed over his chest. To a normal person, they may have thought he was dead. "Shuu! Your brother is such an asshole!" I snapped, flopping down beside him. "Are you an imbecile?" I imitated the best that I could to sound like Reiji. "Yeah, I'm the imbecile. Hah! He's the imbecile! No, not just an imbecile. He's an asshole, imbecile, virgin, four eyed...uhhhh...come on Shuu, help me out. You hate him too!"

"Hmmm." He mumbled back.

"Shuu!" I pouted, ready to start punching him if needs be.

"For a dying person, you sure are loud." He sighed, opening one beautiful blue eye to look up at me.

"Yeah, I could say the same. Wait, you're not dying, and yet you act like you are!" I rolled my eyes, unzipping my bag, turning it upside-down and letting all the things fall out and then for caution, pounded on the back of it to make sure everything was out. Looking through everything, I let a whimper escape my lips when I came out empty handed. "No! Did I really leave it at home! I can't live without it!"

"What are you on about?" He sighed, sitting slightly straighter.

"My phone! I think I left at home." Turning to face him, a thought came to mind. "Phone my phone. Maybe it's here and I just can't see it, like how you can't see things that are right in front of your eyes."

"I don't have a phone. I already told you." H muttered tiredly, yawning slightly.

"Yes, I remember. And if I remember correctly, I told you to get one. So where is it?" I held out my hand waiting to receive it.

"In my underwear." He smirked.

My eyes sharpened at him, before I slyly smiled at him. "Wanna play tough, huh? Fine with me." Reaching over him, I started patting him down, from his hips to thighs, down his legs to his ankles.

"Missed a spot." His eyes were closed again, but that smirk still in place.

"You know what; Reiji isn't the asshole virgin, it's you." I snapped, sitting back in my spot and grabbed my bag, placing it in my lap and started to refill it up, once everything was back in, I zipped it up and slowly started to stand up, although hesitated when my vision started to spot black and the feeling of a headache forming settled over me.

I sighed, sitting down on the stool of the piano facing him, putting my bag next to me, unzipping it and rummaging around to find the packet of tablets. "Did you listen to the song?" I asked absently, digging around and retrieving the packet.

"Eyes to the Skies by Hello Sleepwalkers?"

"Yeah." I found the pill, placing it at the back on my tongue, and starting to produce a bit more saliva to swallow it.

"Yeah..." He mumbled, his eyes open and watching me.

"Whatcha dink?" I mumbled, trying to swallow but chickening out each time.

"Fine...Did you listen to mine?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

I nodded my head, checking my bag for the bottle of water. "Hmmm." Uncapping it, I gulped the last little bit of water along with the pill. "Yeah, by Mozart. What was it called again?"

"Rondo Alla Turca." He smirked, his head straightening.

"Yeah, it was very pretty, I liked it. I will learn that one next. Although I don't think my little fingers will reach those notes." Holding out my hands out, I leaned towards Shuu. "How big are your hands again?"

"Big." He smirked. "Much bigger than yours." He sat forward, holding out his cold hands out against mine. My hands looking like child hands next to his.

I pouted, jealous of him and his large hands. Pulling away from him, I sulked and rubbed my hands together to warm them up again. "No fair." Standing up, I started to head to the door, turning back to check to see if he was going to follow or not. "Not going to class today, either?"

He leaned back, closing his eyes and crossing his arms back over his chest.

"Fine, repeat another year." I muttered, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open.

"Black." I heard him mumble.

I hesitated, questioning what he meant by that until I remembered him tilting his head to the side well I was sitting on the stool in front of him. "Pervert!" I snapped, rolling my eyes and closing the door.

It certainly wasn't the first he had done that without me knowing, but it was still a bit embarrassing. After all, he was my first and only friend, so I let it all slide.

Just then, I remembered what I wanted to talk to Shuu about. My dear Daddy and his plans to lock me up until I die.

I shrugged it off. I will tell him during lunch time.

I quickly headed to my homeroom, the door already open and students busy talking to one another. My eyes flickered to the clock on the wall.

Good, five minutes left before class starts. Sitting right at the back next to the window, I gazed out, my thoughts back on all the awful names that I could call Reiji. Asshole...Virgin...? Is that really an insult? I wouldn't feel insulted if someone called me a virgin. Should I? But it's the truth. Whatever... Four eyed just seems childish...and imbecile...is so what he would use to insult someone. Ah! I really wish I had my phone so I could just look up insults for assholes...I'm so useless at name calling, it's pathetic.

"Uh, did you hear?"

Huh? Turning my head towards the two girls on my right, one overly done up with makeup with bleach blonde hair, sitting on the desk that the other one with wild curly brown hair sat at. I found myself eavesdropping on their conversation, because it seemed interesting and because mine was having no success.

"What?" The brunette asked, leaning closer and lowering her voice.

"The Sakamaki's are looking after this blonde bimbo."

"What! Really? How do you know?"

"I saw them arrive this morning with her. She looks so fake." The blonde one laughed.

"Really? What's her name?"

"Uh? I think it was something like Haru or Hikaru, who cares, to think that little bitch gets to have the princes all to herself."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, the Sakamaki's were quite popular among the female students and teachers and a few males if I was correct about the hungry look that they gave them when they walked past. I had only really seen a couple of times how adored they were, but after all of the commotion I decided to arrive a little later than the rest to not get caught up in the chaos, and then I would go and meet up with Shuu in the music room where none ever were allowed to enter, but me of course.

"Yeah, yeah. That bitch." The brunette snapped, although there wasn't as much venom as the other girl. "But I wouldn't worry so much, you and Laito are definitely a thing, he would never breakup with you." The girl insisted.

I snorted at that, yeah Laito, the playboy; he would never breakup with you. You would simply think you two are still a thing and he would have already had two other females come and gone before you even realize that, well that was all from the gossip of him that ran around like a wild fire. And yet, girls still went after him, after all the things said about him and the girls that had tantrums about it in front of everyone.

"Do you have a problem?" The blonde bimbo snapped, glaring my way.

"Huh? No, just my throat a little ticklish." I cough loudly into my hand.

"Don't worry, he loves you." The brunette carried on insisting, totally ignoring my slip up or maybe helping me out.

"Shut up, Aoi!" The girl snapped standing up from the desk. "Just shut the hell up!"

The brunette looked up at her with big eyes as they glossed over like she was going to cry. "I'm...sorry."

"Whatever, you're so annoying." The bimbo threw a piece of hair over her shoulder as she turned and went to her desk, sitting down as the bell rang.

I side glanced at Aoi as she wiped at her face. Bending over, I unzipped my bag and quickly found my box of tissues, for a second wondering if I should. Would she feel insulted? Shaking away my thoughts, I reached over, tapping her on the shoulder and holding out the box. "Here."

"Oh...I'm fine, thank you." She pushed the box back to me, looking forward as the teacher step into the room and closed the door behind him. "Alright, everyone sit down." He instructed to the few who were still out of their seats.

Sitting back, I placed the box in my bag, eyeing her out and wondering if I should have said something to her, but knowing that nothing that I may have said would have helped. I was just one of those that never said the right thing at the right time.

The bell rang at last, signaling lunch time, if that still counted in the middle of the night. I jumped slightly, ready to bolt out the room and to Shuu. I was in a total nervous wreck without my phone. I didn't know how I relied on my phone so much until that moment. I felt like I was missing a part of myself.

Hobbling down the corridors, thanks to sitting for so long, my joints were cracking and crying out in pain, I almost fell over when the bimbo pushed passed me, but thanks to Aoi, who quickly caught me, I was fine. I opened my mouth to thank her but she was already rushing after the bimbo, no bitch. Yeah, she was a real bitch to Aoi.

I sighed, I knew it wasn't my place to butt into others business, anyway, I had my own set of problems to deal with. First, I needed to speak to Shuu. He always made me feel better when things are going crazy in my life.

Rushing as fast as I could, I saw the room ahead, my heart leaping in joy that I wouldn't have to walk so much although it almost stopped when a girl with waist length blonde hair and clothes that seemed in tatters ran to the door and pulled it open, quickly closing it behind her.

"Huuuuuhhhh?" I dragged out, contemplating my next move. Shuu was definitely in there, he wouldn't be anywhere else, and he was way too lazy to go anywhere. Sighing and knowing that the only thing I could do was go there and save her from his first time creepiness as I call it, since Shuu doesn't really make good first impressions.

Hobbling to the door, I reached to grab the door handle and opened the door just as I heard a scream.

"No! Please, just let me go!"

"SHUU!" I shouted, storming into the room twice in one day and towards the scream. "What the hell do you think-" I froze to see the girl on top of Shuu, she had her hands in his hair pushing his head back with her thumbs digging and pulling at his cheeks, making him look like he had the strangest and creepiest smile ever. Shuu on the other hand, was simply laying there while the girl cried and pushed his head back as far as he could go without snapping his neck.

I smirked at his predicament. "You know, you look like you are having fun. I will just leave you two-"

"No! Please, help me!" The girl cried, scrambling off of him and running towards me with swaying steps. "Please, you got to save-" Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she loudly dropped to the floor with a thud.

I stood there for a second, wondering if she would suddenly spring up off the ground like nothing, but when nothing happen did it click. "Oh my god! Did she just die?!" I hurriedly rushed over to her, crouching down and pushing my fingers to her neck to check for a pulse. It was faint but there. I breathed out in relief, casting a look over at Shuu. "What the hell did you do to her?!" I snapped angrily, not really believing that Shuu could even harm an ant let alone a girl, he was way too unmotivated to do that.

"Nothing." He mumbled back looking at the girl's fallen form.

"Well, I guess you won't be helping me take her to the nurse's room?" I grabbed at her arms picking her up slightly but the rest of her body weight was left on the floor. My heart palpitated in my ears at the sudden up and down movement.

"No." He mumbled.

"SHUU! I will give you five seconds to help me with this girl!" I snapped, stomping my right foot to the floor only to greatly regret it, as the shot of pain flashed up my leg. I clenched my teeth together to not start screaming and swearing.

"Hmmm."

"Shuu, if you don't help me out, I will never be you friend again. Do you hear me?! Huh?!" I waited for movement from him or something but he simply replied back, "Yeah..."

"One!" I counted. "Two!" Still nothing from his side. "Three!" He tilted his head up and opened his eyes to look at me, holding my gaze with an emotionless face. "Four!...Four and one quarter... Four and a half...Four... and ...three... quarters...Shuu!" Did he really not want to be my friend anymore?

"How bothersome." He mumbled, slowly his body started to bend and move from side to side until he was standing no, looming over me. I had forgotten how short I was compared to him.

I smiled up at him, happiness blooming within my body. "Thank you."

"You owe me one." He mumbled, grabbing the girl's body with so much ease and holding her bridal style, her head leaning into his chest.

"Sure, anything!" I smiled, rushing towards the door and opening it for him.

"Anything?" He asked, side glancing at me, as if testing me.

I smirked. "Yeah, anything." Yeah, like what could Shuu come up with? Make me learn a twenty page piece of music in a week? Okay, maybe I was pushing it. There's no way I can learn a twenty page piece of music in a week! I would die!

"I will hold you to that, Sage."

The sound of my name rolling off his tongue sent a jolt through my body and my heart speeding up. What on earth was that? And why do I suddenly feel so warm? I placed my cold hands to my flaming face, as my stomach did a flip.

"Are you coming? There's no way I can open the nurses' door." Shuu said a few steps ahead of me already and glancing back at me, a small smile on his lips.

"Ah, yes! Coming!" I quickly hurried to close the door and follow after him, stepping beside him as he walked, eyeing the girl passed out in his arms. "Is that the girl that is staying with you guys?" I asked, noticing how her front shirt seemed to be buttoned up wrongly, showing some cleavage.

"Yeah...she is."

"Wow...she is really pretty. What's her name?" I asked, recalling all the names the bitch called her and hoping it was none of them.

"I'm not sure..."

"Really, you're living with her and you can't even remember her name?" I laughed; shaking my head at him. Yeah, that was so Shuu.

"Hana...I think..."

"Hana." I smiled. "That's a pretty name. I hope we can become friends." I mumbled absently while wondering what the feeling was when he said my name.

"You can't." He said so strongly and sternly that it shocked me still for a second.

"Excuse me. Why can't I?"

"It would be best if you don't get involved with her." He said like it was the most simply thing in the world to understand.

"And like I said, why?!"

"Sage." Shuu said softly, slowly to a stop. I turned to face him, questioning what he was doing. "It's this way." He said indicating to the left where the corridor spilt.

"Ah, yeah..." I nodded trailing behind him as he walked swiftly. For a few moments, I found myself blankly staring at the back of his head as his curly hair swung from side to side with his movements. I still haven't told him about Daddy. I directed my gaze elsewhere, looking out the black windows that were reflecting our reflections instead of showing us the outside world. Will I always be looking from the inside out?

After all the walking, we finally reached the nurses office. Thankfully the nurse was there so she got to seeing what was wrong with her at the get go, and concluded that she must have fainted from stress as nothing seemed unusual, although I couldn't help but think that the nurse was talking a loud of nonsense. After being basically brought up in a hospital I could tell that Hana had low blood pressure, her heart was abnormally slow and she looked oddly pale.

"Don't you think you should call the ambulance?" I asked with my packet of tablets on my lap and a glass of water sitting on the table next to me, digging in the packet and retrieving a pain killer and placing it my mouth before taking a gulp of water, swallowing it without any problems.

"No, I assure you. She is perfectly fine." The lady said, smiling very sweetly at me; however her eyes kept flickering towards Shuu who had decided to occupy the other bed and was peacefully fast asleep. "She just needs some sleep and then she will be A okay." The lady chuckled, making me question if she had made a joke or not.

"Okay..." I trailed looking over at the girl on the bed. There was no way I was going to leave this girl with this incompetent lady; she obviously didn't know what she was doing. Any normal person could just look at this girl and tell that she needed medical help, not a nap. "Well, I'm just going to lie down, if that's okay. I'm in a lot of pain."

"Oh, of course."

Hobbling over and totally over doing the limping, I climbed into the bed on the right side of Hana's one, I laid down, placing my bag right next to my hip and resting my head on the pillow, staring up at the white ceiling and waiting. Waiting for her to wake up, until then, I had no plans to leave her side.

Slowly time ticked, and soon the bell rang signaling the beginning of the last classes of the night. I didn't make any moves to get up and go. I simply looked over, noting that I could see a glimpse of Shuu. My eyes flickered to the nurse as the sound of her phone rang an English ballad song. I had heard of it before but couldn't seem to place it. "I just got to take this, if there's any problems just shout for me, okay?" She hurriedly said, rushing out the room before I could reply.

"That song sounds familiar." I mumbled just loud enough for Shuu to hear, knowing full well that he wasn't really asleep, or he was just a very light sleeper because whenever I asked or said something, he would always reply, even if he just hummed in response.

"Hmmm."

"Know it?"

"Yeah...I've heard it." He answered, his voice getting softer and softer, like he was falling back asleep.

"What's it called?"

Silence was my answer for a few seconds, making me think he either really fell asleep or had no interest in answering, so instead I decided to change the topic to one that I wanted to tell him about all day, "I spoke with my Da-Father this morning and he has decided that when I graduate he's going to lock up until I die."

A chuckle, it was soft but there it was a chuckle to show that he had indeed heard it and found it amusing.

"This is no laughing matter; he even said he would arrange a marriage for me."

"Arranged marriage? That doesn't sound so bad." He mumbled with a tease in his voice.

"Shuu, this is no time to be making jokes." I said seriously, huffing slightly. "What if he gets this nut job to marry me and he decides to...I don't even know; lock me up like my father. Like, I can just image the man Father chooses will just be like him in every way. A copy." I shivered at the thought of meeting the man and him looking like a younger version of Daddy. "That's so damn creepy!"

Another chuckle.

"Shuu!" I whined, pouting. "You will help me right, if he goes through with this. Like, you will object at the wedding and then scope me up and fly away from it, right?"

"If seems you inherited you fathers delusions as well." He laughed lightly.

Sighing in frustration I rolled my eyes, slowly a smirk pulling at my lips. "I'm not delusional." I pouted, trying to hide my true feelings from showing. "He is and so are you."

"I'm delusional?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because." I smirked.

"Because?" His voice sounding further away.

"Yes, just because."

"That seems unreasonably." His voice came directly in my ear, his cold breath brushing the back of my neck and sending shivers down my body. I flinched and flipped around to see he was lying right next to me now, looking totally comfortable with his eyes closed and arms lazily crossed over his chest. I looked over to where he was and where he is now, shaking my head before flopping back down beside him. "Creep." I mumbled, side glancing at him to see a slight smirk on his lips.

"Hmmmm." He mumbled softly.

I sighed, gazing up at the ceiling once again. He was so close to my body, his arms slightly brushing against mine, however I was used to it, it actually would be weird if he wasn't so close. Releasing a tired sigh, I let my eyes close, drifting asleep slowly, however my mind running with the events of the night like it usually did, causing most of my dreams to just be a repeat of the day.

A loud sound of the bell ringing echoed in the room, jolting me awake. Feeling slightly disorientated, I blink, sitting up and slinging my legs over the edge of the bed and just sat there for a few seconds, letting my mind wake up from its sleepiness.

Glancing over at the girl, my eyes trailing over her shirt and thinking that she needed to fix it. Maybe I should fix it? If I was her position, I would want someone to fix it. It's too embarrassing to be revealing so much to unknown people.

Carefully I stood up, and slowly stalked over to her and reached forward, noting that her red bow was missing. With shaking hands I slowly started to undo her buttons until I had undid the last one and then carefully started to buttons them up properly. She's so pale, and her skin is so cold. A few buttons left, I slipped my finger to her neck, checking her pulse. Slow, very slowly her heart pumped. It actually scared me at how soft and slow it was. Something inside of me said that I needed to get this girl some help quick or something bad would happen to her, almost like a death aura was surrounding her and asking for help.

Taking a step back, I noted a red smug on the collar of her shirt. Leaning forward, I pulled at the collar to see what it was when suddenly the sound of the door slamming open made me jump back, eyes flashing up to meet the reason for the force of the door. There standing proudly with an unique way of styling his uniform and his red hair all messy was none other than one of the Sakamaki brothers, Ayato, his sharp yellow green eyes flickering to mine then back to Hana's body.

"Don't touch what belongs to Yours Truly!" He snapped, storming up to me, and pushing me back away from her. I lost my balance and fell onto the bed, almost falling onto Shuu in the process that didn't even budge. "That fucking pervert!" He hissed, his eyes flashing towards me. I stiffened under his intense glare. "What the fuck are you looking at, dead freak?!" He reached over, grabbing me by my collar and lifting me up from the bed. I gasped, my heart palpitating as I reached out to grab his hand holding me up.

"Ayato." I gasped out in fear at his anger directed towards me.

"Let her go." The sound of Shuu's voice behind me somehow reassured me. "Remember what Father said." He warned.

Father? What?

"Tsk." Ayato released me, sending me flying into Shuu's embrace. I sighed in relief, taking comfort in his embrace for a second when Ayato picked up Hana bridal style and started towards to exit.

"Ayato! You can't take her!" I said, jumping up from the bed, rushing after him. "She's not well and needs to be supervised!"

"By a lazy bastard and a dead freak." He hissed, glaring back at me.

"I'm not dead! And I can look after her!" I snapped at him, glaring back just as hard at him. I couldn't let him take her. No matter what. If he were to take her to wherever he may, who knows what might happen to her. Really, I had no idea, but I didn't think she would get the help she needs by him.

He looked me over, his eyes sharpening when he suddenly closed the gap between us. "You can look after her, huh? How? Are you a doctor?" He smirked, his eyes gazing down at my chest area.

Feeling valuable, I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring hard at him. "My eyes are here, not on my breasts." I snapped at him.

"Well, you boobs are much more alluring than you ugly eyes." He smirked, turning and walking out the room.

I blinked after him, questioning how I should feel about what he said but brushed it away. He was just an asshole like Reiji, but more perverted. Quickly, I rushed after them but as soon as I exited the room; there was no sight of them anywhere. Looking left, then looking right and coming up empty, I questioned how he did that, and turned going back into the room. "Shuu! Your brother is such an asshole!"

"Yeah, they all seem to be." He mumbled, yawning and rolling over, closing his eyes again.

"Aren't you the oldest? Shouldn't you do something?"

"Hmmm..."

"Shuu! He just walked out of here with Hana and you are just laying there!"

"Reiji will fix her." He mumbled, burying his face into the pillow.

"Fix her! You make her sound like a toy that they're going to fix! I highly doubt that imbecile of brothers could look after her!"

"I assure you Miss Sage; I am very capable of looking after my guests." The cold monotone voice of Reiji enveloped around me. Slowly, I turned to see his tall frame towering over my small one. Instead of shrinking back, I stood my ground and glared back at him. "Really?! I highly doubt that!"

"If I were you Miss Sage, I would be much more aware of who I was speaking so rudely to."

"Hmmmm. Oh, yeah. Your Papa is into politics or something, right? Big deal. My Dadd-Father is King of his own country!" I snapped back partly lying about the king thing. How dare he threaten me with titles! I got titles as well!

He smirked darkly at my comment. "A King." He chuckled eerily.

I frowned at his behavior; this was the first time that I had ever met someone that laughing just didn't suit them until now.

"Miss Sage." Slowly, he stood closer, using his tall frame to intimidate me, however not working one bit. "Have you ever heard the saying, be careful of who you talk to." Again, not a question.

"Yeah, I think..." I muttered back, my eyes breaking contact from his for a second to glance around before setting back to his. I was sure Daddy said something like that. Wasn't he always saying don't speak to strangers?

"I would listen to those words very carefully in this position. You just don't know who you might be talking to." He smirked darkly, before his face turned back to its stoic one. "We are leaving in two minutes; you either are there or not. Don't think we will wait for a good-for-nothing." He sharply said, sending one last glance my way before departing back out the door.

I pouted, thinking up a good name to call him back, even if he wouldn't hear it. "Four eyed...virgin...dickass!" I snapped loudly, panting hard, not realizing that I was holding my breath the whole time until he left.

"Dickass?" Shuu chuckled, slowly sitting up and watching me with amusement in his eyes.

"Shut it!" I snapped at him as I sat down on the other bed across from him. "Are any of your brothers anywhere close to being nice?" I reached over, grabbing my bag that he almost crushed under his weight.

"Nice..." He smirked. "I don't think you could use that word for any of us."

"You're nice." I mumbled, glancing down at my bag, feeling my face warm up.

"I'm not anything close to what you think of me, Sage." He muttered, slowly standing up and towering over me.

I looked up at him, tilting my head to the side. "I think you think too lowly of yourself. You're really a nice and good person, Shuu." Tilting my head further back, I smiled. For a second, something flashed in his eyes, but he simply shook his head, turning towards the door. I followed him with my eyes as he reached the door, hesitating, turning slightly. "Sage."

"Yeah."

"Why don't you try other colors beside from black? I'm sure a red thong would look very nice on you."

"...Yeah...no...never going to happen, Shuu." I shook my head, rolling my eyes at him as he smirked. "See you tomorrow." I smiled.

"Same back." He said disappearing around the corner.

"Idiot." I mumbled, standing up and slinging my bag over my shoulders, gripping the straps and heading out after him, as soon as I exited the room I noted that he wasn't anywhere in sight. He can be quite fast when he wants to.

Taking a casual stroll through the building, I hummed the song Eyes to the Skies, blanking out most of my surroundings until I was heading down the stairs, where I gripped at the dark wooden railing and took careful steps down one at a time until reaching the last step, smiling in triumph. See Daddy, I can survive in this world without your help or the stalkers.

After finding myself outside, with hardly any students left, I smiled when I saw Ryou standing by the limousine. "Do you have my phone?!" I asked as soon as I was in hearing distance. He blankly looked at me. "You're phone, Milady?"

"Yeah, never mind." I brushed away the topic, climbing into the back seat and taking comfort in the fact that I wouldn't have to walk for a while. He closed the door after me, and then climbed into the driver's side, starting the engine and putting it into drive.

"It must still be by my nightstand." I mumbled, looking out the tinted window, leaning my head against the cool glass. I hope she will be okay. I thought thinking back to Hana. Of course she will. After all, if the Sakamaki's look after their guests as well as they do themselves, I'm sure she will be just fine.

Even though I tried to calm my nerves for her well-being, I couldn't shake that dark feeling that was surrounding her being, a feeling I seldom got but knew of well. Sighing, I shook my head. There was no point in any of this, even if I knew what was going to happen, that didn't mean I could change it. Slouching comfortably into the seat, turned, digging into my bag, pulling out my MP3 and scrolling through the list of songs, going from classical pieces to J-pop and rock, to even songs in English from the era of ABBA and Queen, nothing too recent with English songs as none of it really suited my taste, or maybe I just hadn't found ones yet.

Finding the latest song that Shuu asked me to listen to, I pressed play, slipping on my earphones and closing my eyes. "I so can't learn this piece in a week." I mumbled tiredly, feeling sleep consuming me. "I wonder...what he will...make...me...do...to repay...him."