Rebirth, just a strange Coincidence?
Chapter 2
First Impressions and a Psychopath
Throughout the whole drive to the Wammy's House, Rin's heart pounded terribly. Firstly, it was the anticipation, that he would finally be able to escape from the nagging boredom that waited for him at home after kindergarten almost each day. Secondly, it was because of the way the old man drove. It felt like a ride in a rollercoaster. Rin feared for his life. More than once he tried to clutch something so he could stay seated. Whenever the old man tried to apply more speed, the car made terrible sounds, as if to announce that it had reached its limit. Or that he should maybe hand in his driver's license because he had long ago lost his feeling for speed.
Finally, the Wammy's House came in sight. It was huge, just like he had expected it to be. Plain, but also beautiful in a way. It would surely serve its purpose well. Roger had the same phrase in mind, just concerning Rin and his future purpose. Fortunately enough, Rin didn't know about the way he was being regarded. Otherwise, he might have done something drastic.
After a most exciting drive, Roger stopped the car in front of an iron gate. Beyond the gate lay a beautiful garden, full of colourful flowers and stunning vegetation. Rin thought it amazing. They had apparently so many professional people working there who managed everything. They could cultivate rare plants, but had no professionel talent scout? Were the plants maybe more valubale to them? Or did they think of children as of plants?
Rin couldn't help it. He imagined how the old man would try to sprinkle cold water on him and tell him to grow up fast. And he actually chuckled silently in his seat, before the next manoevre of the old man made the car spin a little so Rin actually went from laughing to coughing violently.
He still remembered the way the old man had tried to tail them. Even in comedy movies the people acted smarter!
Rin quit thinking about it, his head was spinning from the thought.
Roger opened the door for them and let Rin through the garden and inside the manor. Since they hadn't yet communicated Rin decided that it was about time to ask some questions.
" Does this all belong to you? What kind of institution is this anyway?" They were surrounded by complete silence, it made him feel uneasy. Suddenly he felt like he was inside a dark horror mansion.
The first question he ignored. There was not much that Roger did actually own. Judging from his bills, he didn't even own his life.
" An orphanage." Roger replied nonchalantly and instantly regretted the words. That was too close to what Rin had suggested before.
Of course it left a bad impression when an old man lured a boy who had a family into an orphanage. Especially when money played a role. And when the child was highly gifted. Sometimes telling the truth was not the best choice. He faintly recalled having heard these words before.
All these factors encouraged Rin to turn on his heels and dash off. Not that he had given up hope and wanted to leave, oh no. But since the old man acted so dumb, Rin could easily follow him and overhear any conversation he might be having.
Roger wanted to slap himself. Had Rin just left the building or was he still inside? He could not let a small child wander off and let him explore the manor on his own.
This was way too dangerous. It had costed him years and a lot of money to cover up the case of the child who had gotten lost during a game of hide and seek. They had found it starved in some long forgotten room that had curiously enough been locked from the inside. Some wannabe detectives had developed an interest in the case, but hadn't so far been able to solve the mystery and to shed light on it. Near had not been interested.
Roger went to see the staff, in his condition searching for the boy was hopeless. Not that hopeless had he known that he was stealthily following him and just a few metres behind. Unfortunately, he didn't have eyes on his back. In fact his eyes on the front weren't that good, either. Roger was content that he could still tell whether it was day or night.
The people in charge of the Wammy's House during his absence were not too happy to see him. Especially since they had done their best to dispose of him for a while.
"Roger, we sent you on vacation! What the fuck are you doing here?" One of them remarked furiously.
She had secretly hoped to take over while he was away. Though anyone doubted the old man could put up resistance anyway. His salary was way too high for their taste. And then the donations. The donations, all the fucking money they had spent just to get rid of him! And he was just coming back like nothing had happened. As if all those children had always gotten their lunch.
"Please, please, calm down. And what did I tell you about nasty language, Nancy?"
He despised Nancy. The old woman always used the kind of language he hated. It was bad for the children, or so he believed. Roger regarded himself as a gentleman. An elderly gentleman, just like his great idol, Watari. What would he do in his situation? Surely brush off the meany comments and say something incredibly clever that would leave them all in speechless awe!
"Roger." Wendy interrupted the heated exchange of words.
" You have just wasted all the money we had collected in order to have you relax a little. Why did you not listen to us?" Wendy was the more reasonable one of them and spoke with a perfectly calm voice.
" Let me explain the matter. Well, it was incredibly hot there and I couldn't stand it anymore…"
"That's no reason to come back and screw up business again!" Nancy snapped at him.
"Hey! I wasn't done talking!"
Rin could not believe what he was witnessing. Geez, what an idiot. He rolled his eyes, but made sure not to utter a laugh or something else that would betray him. Could adults really be this childish?
" Well, I found this incredibly talented child." He added somberly.
Finally to the matter at hand, Rin said to himself.
" More gifted than Lunas?" Wendy asked.
" I believe so. He appeared to be extremely clever to me."
No doubt about that, Rin added mentally.
" So….where is he then?" One of them interjected.
" To tell the truth…ermm… he is just.. in his room." Roger replied shakily and none of them thought it necessary to add anything.
Liar! Rin thought and wanted to hit the old man.
" Wait, what about Lunas? Did he behave?"
Wendy answered. " He developed a weird habit of collecting black notebooks. He locks them inside of a drawer. When one of the maids went inside to clean his room and wanted to peek inside his drawer out of curiosity, she got almost fried. A good deal of the left wing burned down, it's closed for the moment. We were so lucky that the children were eating lunch when it happened. We believe that it was him who caused it and not technical problems, as he's still claiming. He might have installed some device to keep his secrets save, whatever they may be. I'd suggest we investigate. It's suspicious, if you ask me."
Roger was speechless. Were all children psychopaths? More importantly, was he one himself as their headmaster?
Amazing, Rin thought. This Lunas I need to meet.
Because he had been thinking of similar devices to keep his sweets save.
It made Rin curious, this boy. What kind of person was he? Did he still have his parents, too? And what kind of secret was worth burning down an orphanage?
Almost any, came the instant answer in his mind.
But maybe it was not all that bad, Rin decided he was not yet able to judge the place. A dumb talent scout, crazy staff, psychopathic children and an old orphanage that seemed so old to him that he could hear it breathe beneath him was no reason to quit trying.
To a boy like Rin, it was just more reason to investigate. But for the moment, he did not want to be seen.
He went away, on tiptoes because the old wood creaked terribly. As he advanced, his surroundings were steadily growing more outlined. Here, the windows were bigger, thus allowing more light to come in and making everything appear brighter. The walls were painted a creamy orange and to Rin, the house looked friendlier now. Apparently, this was the wing where the children used to live.
He could tell from the faint smell of burned wood.
Rin did not want to be seen by them, either, since they might ask tricky questions or talk about the stranger to the staff and for the moment, he just wanted to take in his surroundings and learn more about the weird place he had been brought to. Or, better put, sold to, he thought with some bitterness.
It was still a mystery to him. Was he that clever? Was he special? More special than a boy who could fool the whole staff of the Wammy's House and burn down a good deal of it, apparently without being punished? On the other side, as far as Rin could tell, it did not take much to outsmart them. It would be nothing but a piece of cake. Strawberry cream cake. He hoped that he could lay his hands on one of those soon.
It would all be like a funny game. In case of an emergency, he could still find his way home. He knew he could.
Suddenly, one of the doors opened and a child came out, a small girl with brunette hair, startling Rin. However, he had enough time to jump back and conceal himself behind the opening door. Rin could not see from there, so he waited patiently until the sound of her soft steps were gone.
Then he peeked outside. When he saw noone, he appeared from behind the door, sighing silently in relief.
But he could not stay long in this rather relaxed state, for an auburn-haired boy stood at the opposite wall, just in the right angle. That was why Rin could not have seen him when he had glanced from behind that door. He was about the same size as Rin and, though Rin hated to admit, quite the handsome type. His eyes had the colour of golden honey.
He had been outsmarted and it annoyed him. On top of that, the boy smiled at him in a smug way, knowing how cleverly he had made use of that angle and hidden himself out of Rin's view, deceiving him and giving him the impression of false safety.
Rin was not as amused as him. For this little trick he would have to pay. Nobody insulted him and hurt his pride just like that. Rin hated losing and in a way, this little insult felt like a lost battle. But he would win the war, no doubt about it.
" Playing hide and seek all by yourself?" He asked, his voice laced with arrogance.
" What if I was?" Rin replied coldly.
A/N: Wammy's House is a smart children's playground and the staff is partly crazy and/or stupid?
I am still not sure whether this is the kind of humour people appreciate, so please tell me what you think of this chapter and of the newly introduced characters. I guess it's not too difficult to tell who that kid might be :)
Thank you for reading!