"M-Misuzu?" Kakeru stammered as he regained his footing, still staring wide-eyed at the girl in front of him.
Misuzu smiled softly, her eyes sparkling in the sunset. She was clad in the same clothes she wore all those months ago, a long-sleeved white blouse that puffed at the end of her cuffs, a long indigo skirt that reached past her ankles, and a scarlet ribbon the same color as her hair tied around her neck. The wind blew her hair around her in a swirl of fire, blazing like actual flames.
So this was what she meant in her message.
It was wonderful seeing her again. He could feel the little hole in him filling up as they watched each other, both of them smiling just at seeing each other's face. Just looking at her made him feel as if she had been never been gone, like there had never been that gaping hole in his chest. He walked forward hesitantly, and Misuzu mimicked his movements, as if he were looking in a mirror. Soon they where only about a foot apart, Kakeru gazing down at her in wonder.
Misuzu reached up slowly, her fingers clasping the strap of his eye-patch so gently it felt as if a butterfly had landed there. Kakeru made no move to stop her as she slipped the eye patch off, letting it flutter to the ground without any resistance. Soon his golden eye, the Eye of Aeon, was revealed.
"Sorry," Misuzu breathed. "I was only making sure."
"Nice seeing you again," Kakeru murmured as he closed the distance between them, binding his arms around her as he breathed in her scent. In that moment, he forgot about everything, Yuka, homework, everything, as he held her there, knowing she really was back. Finally he pulled away reluctantly, studying her features. She wasn't any different, still the tranquil, stable warrior he'd always liked and respected.
"Miss me?" she teased. Kakeru grinned at her, feeling that happiness bubbling up inside him as she smiled.
"Of course." His hand bumped against something rough on her arm. He glanced down curiously, pulling up the soft fabric of her sleeve. He frowned slightly as he saw that the upper half of her arm was bandaged, raising his gaze back to her eyes.
"What happened?" Kakeru asked, nudging her arm gently to ensure that she felt no pain. Misuzu shrugged casually, disregarding her wound.
"Nothing, really. Just a little injury that happened during battle training," she said. "I was careless, I let down my guard." She smiled ruefully. "I guess I deserved it."
Kakeru raised his eyebrows. "Huh. Since when do you deserve big wounds on your arm?"
"Since I was careless. I should know better by now."
He smiled slightly at that. "You any better with your swords?"
"Perhaps. Want to battle to find out?" she offered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Sure."
"Remember this?" Misuzu asked as she held her hand out, palm facing upward. A sign appeared, glowing, and a sword came out. Long, sharp, with blue cloth criss-crossed over the handle, he easily recalled the weapon. He had used it many times during the Red Night, fighting for his friends and their future. He felt the sense of familiarity as he grasped the handle, the electricity sparking around the blade.
"Tachibana Dousetsu Raikiri," he said, slashing the sword down. It felt so balanced in his hand, as it always had, like a natural extension of his arm. Misuzu grinned as she pulled another sword out of her palm, this one with a black blade with purplish glow.
"Kogarasumaru Amakuni," Kakeru murmured, recognizing one of the five Kasukabe family treasures. "You'll be fighting with it?"
Misuzu nodded as she steadied her blade, the eerie light still emenating from the silver blade. Kakeru readied the weapon in his hand, slipping into a battle stance Misuzu had taught him.
The sound of their clashing blades echoed through the room. Training with Misao-sensei had made Misuzu stronger than ever. Her attacks were light but at the same time, strong and lethal, as she twirled around in a cyclone of slashes. He grunted as she bore down on him, her blade whipping around him deadly arcs. And yet he was able to parry them. They whirled around the room, taking turns in gaining the upper hold.
"Hyah!" Misuzu shouted, flipping her sword back and suddenly slashing forward again, her blade aiming for his stomach. He was about to prepare to block, when an image appeared in his mind. Misuzu slashing toward his stomach. . .then at the last second guiding her blade upward, toward his face. He knew this was merely a feint. He brought Raikiri up, the lightning sword's blade blocking his face. Sure enough, Misuzu's blade clanged against his. She grunted in surprise as she drew back, landing lightly on the balls of her feet.
"You've improved," Misuzu said between pants, miniature beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. "You've been practicing?"
Kakeru nodded, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He had practiced, using the wooden practice sword he had used in his early training. The red-haired girl set her weapon down, a small smile gracing her lips. She turned to look out the window, her back to him. The night was a deep midnight black, stars shining coldly like frosty diamonds in the sky.
"Tired?" Kakeru asked as he, too, set down his weapon. Misuzu glanced over her shoulder at him, the small smile still on her face.
"Naturally," she said. "Have you noticed the time?" She looked purposefully out into the night. "Besides, don't we have school tomorrow?"
"We . . .," Kakeru mused thoughtfully as he held his friend's gaze.
"Of course. I've missed three months of school, or haven't you noticed?" Misuzu laughed lightly. Kakeru felt his lips curve up in a smile as he saw her laugh, the twinkling sound of her chuckle filling up the room. Once again he felt the happiness in seeing her again.
"Do you want to stay here tonight?" Misuzu asked as she made her way for the door. "It's a little late out."
Kakeru yawned involuntary. "Sure," he said, following her out.
"Kakeru-kun? Sat-Su-Ki-Ka-Ke-Ru-kun!"
"Huh?" Kakeru groaned as he lifted his head from where it had been cushioned on his arm. He looked bleary eyed up at Yuka, who was tugging relentlessly on his sleeve.
"We have a transfer student!" Yuka said, nodding toward the front of the room, where the sensei was talking to the student in question.
"Another one?" Kakeru mumbled, slightly irritated that some random exchange student was bothering him. Kaori turned in her seat a few desks in front of him to look at him, her aqua eyes wide.
"What do you mean, another one? We haven't had a transfer student before!"
"Oh... yeah, sorry," Kakeru mumbled, trying to fix his mistake. Now he remembered. They wouldn't remember Shiori, the transfer student/fragment who had come during the Red Night. No one except for the fragments who survived would remember anything about that time of darkness. So naturally these average mortals wouldn't remember the white-haired red-eyed girl who had come into their world. Now he glanced toward the front of the room, curious about whom this new student was.
The chattering ceased as the sensei called for attention.
"This is Hakume Akira," he said, gesturing toward the new student. "Would you like to tell us about yourself?"
The girl looked at her new peers. She was small and petite, with mint-colored hair that fell past her thin waist. Her eyes were a sharp cerulean blue, piercing like glass. She surveyed them with a taciturn, almost bored look that told Kakeru this was not someone to be trifled with.
"My name is Hakume Akira," she said in a quiet voice. "I am a transfer student from France. I do not need a bunch of rowdy little children clamoring up my desk, so please do not pester me with your attempts of welcome."
As she said that, the whispering began again, some people awed by this cold new student, some suspicious with her hostile greeting. The sensei clapped his hands for quiet impatiently.
"Anything else you would like to add, Hakume-chan?" he prompted, looking slightly staggered from the pure harshness of her address. Akira shook her head. "Very well. You may sit there." He pointed toward the one empty seat in the back.
"She's cute," Tadashi said, gazing dreamily after the new student, even though Hakume Akira made it clear that she did not need any admirers. Kakeru couldn't help rolling his eyes. Tadashi had said the same thing about Momono Shiori as well. He wondered whether Akira would be anything like the girl who had sat in her seat before. Kakeru turned as he heard the sound of paper crinkling.
"What are you doing?' he asked Tadashi. Tadashi grinned at him, holding up a paper airplane.
"Flying love letter. Akira-chan, catch it!" he threw the airplane toward where the mint-haired girl was sitting. Kakeru watched as the airplane sailed neatly onto her desk. Akira stared blankly at it for a moment, then picked it up and unfolded it. The moment it touched her hands Tadashi leapt up in a victory dance.
"What are you doing, Teruya?" the sensei asked he danced around some more.
"My love letter was accepted!" he shouted gleefully. He was too caught up in his celebration to see Akira crumple the paper up before lobbing across the room into the trashcan. Kakeru shook his head. It seemed like no matter who Tadashi tried to hook up with, the girl of his affection would always reject him.
"Baka," Kaori muttered as she hit him over the head with her textbook. "She threw away the airplane, didn't you see?"
Almost instantly Tadashi's crows of triumph were silenced.
"Yuka," Kakeru said, turning to the short-haired brunette as they gathered their bags after class. "Is it okay if we meet Misuzu-senpai up on the roof?"
Yuka turned to look up at him. "She's back now?"
Kakeru nodded, bemused at how his friend seemed almost unhappy.
"Oh. Well, whatever, Kakeru-kun," she said."And it's Kusakabe-senpai, not Misuzu-senpai."
"Alright, Kusakabe-senpai it is. Let's go, then," he said as he followed Tadashi and Kaori up the stairs.