Thanks for your words of encouragement, everyone. I was happy to read the reviews although at that time, my mind was a wreck after writing that prologue. I hope you'll keep on following my story.
Disclaimer: I don't own the series, so there.
Warning: The characters might go OOC.
Note: When I first wrote this story, this character was supposed to be dead. After a few rereading of my rough draft of this story, I decided to make some changes so she lived. Anyway, this character does play an important role in this story. So...on with the story then...
The italics here means Ryoma's dream.
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PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
It was a bright spring morning as Ryoma was still asleep in his bed, tired from the celebration yesterday. Then, a girl quietly came in with the intention of waking him up.
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He was walking around the castle as he was looking for his cat. "Karu...Karu...Where are you?" He kept on calling out for his cat until he heard a soft mewl not so far from where he was. He went there immediately until he saw his cat being carried by a handsome young man. "Karu, there you are." As he came near to get his cat from the young man, their hands accidentally touched and after he got the cat, a thin red thread suddenly appeared to his sight. He murmured. "Oh, my-" He looked at the young man and smiled at him. "Thank you for finding my cat, my lord. May I know your name?"
The young man, struck with the beauty of the cat's owner, said as he also smiled, "Kunimitsu Yamamoto. And you are?"
Charmed with his smile, the cat's owner replied, "I'm Tsukihime."
"WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!" Reiko Echizen, his energetic twin sister, immediately pulled his blanket off on him. "It's the first day of school and I don't want to be late." Then, she sat on his bed as she watched him slowly waking up.
Ryoma grumbled as he slowly sat up on his bed. "What's with you today, Reiko? Maybe you have eaten a lot of ice cream yesterday." He yawned as he stretched his arms. "It looks like you're gaining weight."
Conscious about her figure, Reiko looked and touched herself for sudden bulge or bump. When she saw her younger twin's teasing eyes, she pouted. "You're awful, Ryo." Ryoma laughed at her remark as he left the bed to open his windows. She looked at him while he drew back the curtains. "Ne, Ryoma..."
He turned around and saw Reiko looking worriedly at him. "What is it, Reiko?"
Reiko was about to say something when she heard their mother calling at them downstairs. Then, she shook her head. "Hmm...It's nothing." She stood up and opened the door. "I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast." Then, she quickly shut the door.
Ryoma, puzzled with Reiko's mood change, stared at the closed door for a while and he sighed. "You really worry about me too much, Reiko." Then, he went to his bathroom to take a bath.
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Minutes later, Ryoma and Reiko were at the gate with their mother, who gave out last reminders.
"Reiko, remember not to call Ryoma "otouto" at school. He's enrolled under a different name." Rinko was fixing Reiko's ribbon on her uniform and then, patted Ryoma's head. "Ryoma, Grandmother called earlier and said that your studies starts today after your classes. Her driver will wait for you outside." Ryoma nodded.
Reiko looked at her mother pleadingly. "Mom, can I go with Ryoma for his studies?
Rinko, seeing her daughter's pleading eyes, can only give her a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Rei-chan. Your grandmother doesn't want any distractions during your brother's studies."
Reiko was about to cry as she whined. "But, Mom, Ryoma needs…" She was immediately pacified by Ryoma who understood how she felt. "Don't worry, Rei. Maybe after my studies, we could play tennis."
"Thank you, Ryo." Reiko hugged him. "For understanding me." Then, she released him. "Although you have to hold true to your promise." Ryoma smiled as he saw his sister smiled again.
Rinko, who was worried about Reiko's overprotectiveness over her twin, also smiled after seeing them smiling to each other. "Now, go, you two. Sakuno will be waiting for the two of you at the school gates."
Reiko, grabbed Ryoma's hand, waved her mother. "Bye, Mom. See you later." Rinko waved her back as Ryoma merely bowed his head. Then, they left with their hands together.
As soon her children left, Rinko prayed for their safety and went back inside the house.
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As they were near to their school, Reiko suddenly stopped as she looked admiringly at the blooming sakura tree. "Ne, Ryo…" She turned around to look at Ryoma with worry in her eyes again. "Does Grandmother hate me?"
Surprised at Reiko's sudden question, Ryoma went silent for a while. Then he said, "Reiko, what makes you ask like that? Of course she loves you."
"Then why doesn't she want me to be with you? Every time we came here, you're the only one who can visit her. I can only see her during our New Year family reunion." Her unshed tears finally fell as she said those words.
Ryoma sighed as he hugged her. "She doesn't want Mom and you to be involved after what happened to Father. She's only concerned about our safety. That's all."
"I know and that's what I hate the most. Being the elder of the two of us, I should be the one who protects you, not the other way around. I should be the one..." Her words were muffled as she sobbed on his shoulder. "I don't want to lose you or Mom…"
Ryoma, touched by his sister's words, patted her back. "You really worry too much, Rei-neechan. You've been always been by my side whenever I'm alone or in danger, so don't say that you didn't protect me. Besides, you'll never lose either of us."
Then, he slowly released Reiko as she wiped away her tears. "There, there. You cry too much. I'm afraid that you look horrible with all your brawling…" He started to tease her.
Reiko giggled at Ryoma's teasing. "Shut up, brother. Enough with your teasing, will you?" Ryoma chuckled at her attempt to scold him. "I'm fine really. Thanks to you." Then she saw Sakuno waving at them at the school gates. "I think Sakuno-chan is waving at us." She held out her hand and smiled at him. "Shall we go?"
Ryoma took her hand and smiled back at her as they finally went to their school.
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Postscript: Reiko Echizen is obviously the elder twin sister of Ryoma, thus the heiress of the Echizen fortune which she will receive when she's eighteen. She is both fashion and figure conscious so she's always on diet all the time except when she sees pastries and desserts. She's very overprotective with Ryoma, thus the tendency to worry too much. She loves tennis although Ryoma is better than her.
I think the meeting of the two will be in the next chapter so for the time being, please review fairly.