While I was Away

By: Naru-chan

Disclaimer: I don't own DNAngel, no matter how much I wish I did.

Chapter One: She Had Known

She had known. She had always known! Practically everyone did... Still, she couldn't help herself. Who could? It's not as if you could choose who the "one" is! No matter how much you tried... It doen't help. Not one bit.

She had known. Riku had always known. Daisuke loved Risa. Not her. She had...known.

(Scence Change!)

"Daisuke! Daisuke! Could you please let me borrow your math homework? I forgot," Risa whimpered. She fluttered her eyelashes a few time and pouted for the extra affect.

Sunlight from the window next to her seemed to grace her creamy complextion, making it glow. She had tied her long, dark, brown hair into a half ponytail as usual with a ribbon, which shined brightly (it should after the time she spent on her hair). She wasn't really different from anyone else, yet just the sight of her sent Daisuke's heart racing.

"Ah! S-s-sure Risa!" he stammpered, rushing over to her side, stummbling a few times. He ran a hand through his messy red hair, trying to tame it as much as he could, which did no good what-so-ever. He felt himself blushing at being so close to Risa.

Riku lifted her head slowly from the application on her desk and turned toward them. She sat unmoving in her chair. No part of her moved, really. She found it hard to breath at all. She should be used to it by now, she thought. How many times had she seen this? Too many times to count, it seems. Her hands clentched tightly. It was getting harder and harder to be around them.

"Eh?" Daisuke uttered. Was someone watching him? He looked up to see Riku staring sadly at something... But what? She looked exactly like her twin, but they seemed so different. Riku with her short, carmel hair...Risa with her long, brown hair. Riku was practical...was strong. Risa needed to be protected... Daisuke, getting lost in the moment blinked, and suddenly realized thata Riku was extremely pale.

"Riku!" Daisuke ran over as fast as he could (which was fairly quick). He caught Riku's head in his arms. "Riku? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Riku felt her face pressed against Daisuke's shirt. His scent...was like soap. What a pleasent smell... she thought. Then she came to, and remembered where she was, who she was, and who was holding her. She opened her eyes and found herself staring up into red eyes filled with concern. Concern? For her? But...that didn't mean anything. Daisuke was different from everyone else. He was caring, nice, kind, friendly... it didn't matter to who. He was always thinking of ways to help others, and not himself... So the fact that he was worried... didn't mean anything.

Risa had stood up from her seat when Daisuke caught Riku. She was stunned and could not move. What was with her? She felt odd inside... confused. What was going on inside her? She was totally unaware that a pair of blue eyes watched her.

"Ah! Daisuke! Let me go!" she cried, pressing her hands against his shoulders. She felt her face flame up. Everyone was watching!

"Wait, Riku! You don't look well," Daisuke explained, trying to get her to calm down. She's so stubborn, he thought.

"No, no, no! I'm fine! Really!" she said loudly, before rushing out the door.

"Ehhhhh?" Daisuke said in confusion.

"What'd ya do ta her, Daisuke?" Takashi wondered aloud.

"M-m-me? I didn't do anything!" Daisuke complained in defense.

"Well go after her. You said she didn't feeling well," Satoshi said calmly from his seat, not bothering to look up. Now everyone's attention was averted to him. The girls in the room squealed at the sight of the blueheaded, blue-eyed boy with glasses. He was gorgous, cold, calm, and intellegent. Everyone loved him and the reasons were quite obvious.

"Well listen to him, Daisuke!" they screamed.

"Y-y-yeah!" he said, running out the room.

Riku ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Down the hallways, down the courtyard... she couldn't tell. Everything was a blur to her. Images of the past three years flashed through her mind. Daisuke looking at Risa... blushing over Risa... trying to confess to Risa... His smile, his frown, his blush... They all belonged to her twin who didn't want them!

Riku couldn't take it anymore! After watching them for so long, she couldn't take it anymore! This month...this month they would graduate! They'd go to highschool! She could go far away! Away from it all!

"Riku! Wait! Rikuuuuu!"

She reconized his voice. Of course she did! Why wouldn't she reconize the voice of the one she loved? Still, she didn't stop running.

"Leave me alone!"

"Riku!" he persisted. "Why are you running?"

Something in Riku snapped. Why was she running? Why was she running?! Because of him... because of Risa... because of her love! She was weak... She couldn't take the pain anymore. At that moment, he caught up and grabbed her hand.

"Why are you running?" he asked again, panting slightly.

"Well why are you running after me? It's not like you really care!" she heard herself say. She felt herself blush. "Oh, leave me alone!"

She shifted her hand out of his and turned away, not wanting to see his face. "I'm...going to the nurse's. You'd better go back to class." With that, she ran back into the building.

Daisuke stood there, with nothing to say. He watched her. So much like the one he loved, yet so different... was all he could think of.

(Scence Change!)

"Neh...Riku?" Risa said softly as she knocked on her twin sister's door and then opening it. She was in her pink pajamas (a dress) with plenty of ribbons on it. She looked into the room at her twin, who wore a pair of shorts and a tanktop. They were so different. Their rooms were different too. Hers was covered with random little trinkets, when Riku's was very plain.

"What is it, Risa?" Riku relpied from her desk. She was typing something on her computer. She didn't bother to turn around. If she did, Risa might see what she was writing.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Risa asked, with concern showing in her voice.

"I'm fine."

There was a silence before Risa inturrupted it.

"Umm...Riku... You and Daisuke... Nothing's going on between you two, right?" She bit her lip nerviously.

At this, Riku flinched. "Me? And Daisuke? No... nothing's going on. If he's going to do anything with anyone... it would be you, Risa."

"Oh...yeah," Risa said with relief. "With me..."

"Well...if that's all..." Riku said, hinting Risa to leave her.

"Oh! Yeah! Sorry to bother you," Risa apologized before closing the door. She smiled to herself as she walked back to her room. With her...

Riku felt a tear trace down her cheek as she pressed "Enter". She had done it. She had really done it. She had sent her application to the highschool in Paris, France. She was running away from Daisuke... from her love. Oddly enough...she had known that one day she would.

Naru-chan: Please Review!

Riku: Yeah! Can't you see I'm in tears?!

Naru-chan: You better...or Riku's gonna beat you up.... starts running away