Chapter 2
I'm not proud to admit it, but I squealed when the newcomer announced his presence. Well it was more like a squeak, maybe cute sounding had I been a small rodent, but not what I was looking for when facing down the guy who just attacked my only friend. Plus with that noise, all my tough credibility flew right out the window. So much for my dangerous image? Hopefully no one noticed...well hopefully they forget.
"Damn not you Reiji," Ayato exclaimed, narrowing his eyes at the spot next to me. Stepping out of my arms, both Yui and I turned to view the newest arrival. Reiji, as the boy that I now knew was Ayato had called him, had a stiff appearance about him. He carried himself in a manner that suggested that while he was both proper and refined, he viewed himself as above others. Condescendence radiated off of him, like the guy on the couch reeked of possessiveness.
"This is an entrance hall. This is meant to be used as a place to greet our guests," he said pushing back his glasses onto the brim of his nose. Nope, I didn't catch a hint of an apology for what Yui almost went through. "Take your activities to your private room," he added. What? That's it? Okay, now I'm not sure who I dislike more. Something was definitely wrong with these guys.
"Please help us," Yui butted in, clearing not sensing the indifference Reiji had in our personal well-being. Didn't she notice, he didn't acknowledge us until she drew attention to ourselves? He just seemed to see us just as an eyesore.
"Who are you?" he asked, clearly not giving us his full attention. Reiji still seemed pretty preoccupied that we had caused a scene in his entrance hall. Didn't he care why exactly that was?
"I'm Yui Komori."
"And I'm Hikari…" Damn no last name. That sounds weird.
"My father said we were supposed to live here," Yui continued in a strained voice. I could tell she was still a little shaken up, but at least she was no longer crying.
"I heard nothing of the sort," Reiji replied. Turning to the boy on the loveseat, his cold voice demanded, "Ayato, explain this to me."
"Huh, how should I know?" Ayato exclaimed while turning back to Yui and me. "You never said anything about that Pancake. Nor you." I'm pretty sure everyone but Yui saw me visibly flinch at that one. Did he seriously just call her Pancake? Really? Thank God that jerk didn't give me a nickname, or seriously he'd…ugh!
"That's because you attacked me out of nowhere," Yui countered, finally gaining some of her confidence back. Unfortunately Yui ruined her brave moment when she asked why he called her Pancake. The meaning was obvious enough, though the statement was certainty uncalled for. She should have been reprimanding him for saying such a thing, not asking why.
As though not listening to the exchange between Yui and Ayato, Reiji voiced his thoughts, "That is strange. I wasn't informed of this." Grabbing everyone's attention once again, Reiji continued, finally speaking to us, "We shouldn't talk here. Come this way. See to their luggage."
Just when I was about to ask whom he was talking to, a man appeared out of a dark passageway and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared with our luggage. That wasn't creepy or anything? Noticing Ayato eyeing up Yui again, I grabbed her before I might actually have to fight him again, following Reiji through the mansion, to what appeared to be a drawing room.
Thankfully there were more lights in this room, though it wasn't doing anything to help my nerves at this point. Between the vibes this place gave off and the residents we'd met so far, I was seriously riding on edge. I couldn't remember my actual home, but at least at the church I didn't have this unsettling feeling constantly washing over me. They clearly had money. Couldn't they afford an interior decorator to fix this mess? I hoped my real home didn't look anything close to this. If it did, well let's just say when I get home, pastel colors all around.
"Now in the interest of formality," Reiji icily began, "let us begin by having you both tell us about yourselves and how you came to enter this house." I let Yui begin. I wasn't about to tell them I'd lost my memories and was staying with the girl whose family had been helping me out the past few weeks. If I didn't have to reveal I couldn't remember past the past two weeks, then we were going with that option.
"Um, right…" Yui began, though was shortly interrupted due to amused laughter from the second level of the room. Looking up at the newest resident I was sort of perplexed. His laugh didn't sound cold like Reiji, but it didn't particularly come off as friendly either. He looked sort of like Ayato, same hair color and eyes, but his hair was longer and he sported a fedora upon it.
"What have we here? Is it true? Are there really two cute human girls here?" he said, seemingly much more excited about the prospect than anyone else in the room. Myself included. I was banking that this was a huge misunderstanding. You know what. We probably…
"Eh! What do you think you're doing?" I yelled at the person who'd just licked me, while inadvertently falling off the couch and onto the floor, thankfully missing the coffee table. I can't recall much, but even I know that's not part of proper etiquette. But let me say that again, they licked me. Gross. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. On no level is that ok. Do girls even like that? Does anybody?
"Mmm you smell so nice," said the boy from upstairs, who was now apparently sitting next to my previous position on the couch. This meant he was the alleged licker. How'd he move so fast? And why was he looking at me like I was some sort of meal?
"Please let me have a lick too," came another unfamiliar voice, then Yui's cry from above me. A young looking boy possessing bags under his eyes and purple hair seemed to be the culprit. In his arms, he cradled a bear, which did not look kid-friendly to say the least. "She tastes sweet."
"Now you two, don't you think that behavior is a little impolite towards ladies you have only just met?" Reiji cold voice questioned. Again, there was no feeling behind it, but at least this time a resident of the house spoke up for us.
"You okay?" I asked Yui while picking myself up from off the floor. I took my vacated seat on the couch, hopefully proving that I was not afraid of the creep who licked me and also preventing him from getting close to Yui. Nervously she nodded her head, but for the most part I deemed her okay.
"What? But doesn't everyone want to taste something that looks yummy?" he said, eying me again before turning to the purple haired boy behind Yui, "Don't you Kanato?" The nod his question received only seemed to increase the intensity of the goose bumps crawling on my skin. Some snarky comment probably would have been better, but I only seemed to be able to muster a piercing glare towards the fedora-wearing boy. It didn't work. He just winked at me.
"Pervert." He laughed.
I scoffed and turned away, bracing myself. At least if he tried it again, I'd be ready for him.
Getting annoyed, Ayato harshly spoke, "Knock it off, you guys! Yours Truly saw them first. Yours Truly is going to be their first everything."
"Lame. I'm so sick of you calling yourself Yours Truly," a mysterious new voice said filling the room. Where were these people coming from?
"Screw you!" Ayato jumped up from his seat angrily, "I know that's you, Subaru. Show yourself!"
"Over here," said the voice, turning everyone's attention to a white haired boy on the opposite side of the room. "I thought it smelled like human in here. So, it was you two. How dare you interrupt my precious sleep?"
"Where did you come?" the words slipping out before I could help myself.
"My question first!" he demanded, slamming his fist into the wall for emphasis. Thankfully I didn't yelp this time, but Yui did seem to be shaking again. Damn these were the weirdest bunch of guys I'd ever met. Well I think they are. Honestly, I've got nothing to base it on.
Ignoring the white-haired boy's outburst, as if it was a normal occurrence, Reiji asked, "Has anyone been told anything about these ladies who have come to live with us?"
Dead silence.
"This is probably just some misunderstanding," I said, while grabbing Yui's hand, both of us getting to our feet. "We'll just leave and be out your way." Feigning a smile, I pulled Yui towards the door.
I saw freedom and safety beyond the barrier of that door, but that was pulled away when Reiji had to intervene, "Just a moment. I'm trying to verify the truth of the matter. Wouldn't it be rather impolite to leave now?"
"Yes but the emotional whirlwind is not something I'm willing to experience every day," is what I wish I had said. Instead another boy lounging on a sofa in the back of the room answered Reiji before I had a chance.
"Are you the women he mentioned?"
"Shu, do you know something about these girls?"
"Maybe," he lazily replied, seemingly indifferent about our presence and the questions directed at him.
"Don't maybe me. I would like an explanation."
"That guy…contacted me the other day. He said, "We have guests arriving from the church, so treat them with respect,"" the boy explained. Really? This was where we were supposed to be? I couldn't help but release a sigh. This was just great.
"Are you telling me that they're the prospective brides?"
"Huh," I exclaimed before I could stop myself, "There's no way I would be a bride for any of you." My hands flew to my mouth. Oops.
Thank you to both AvealPanthera and Fiore's Flower for both leaving reviews. I love getting feedback and am happy to know you enjoyed the first chapter. Also thanks to DreamerDarkness for the feedback and inspiring a direction for the story, though it won't show up for a few chapters. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!
~nutmeg
