Wicked Angel: I wonder why people don't review. When you check your statistics everyday and find it's godforsaken as usual. ::sighs:: Hey, this is just one awful self-promotion (but hey, you know my sentiments about my non-review stories). Please read my rukawa x OC fic. Please? people find it funny. I hope to God you would too.

Anyway, do you know I'm, like, practically forsaking my long long evil evil papers and homeworks for this? :p Writing gives me peace. Studying gives me complex. Darn them. Darn all of them.

Chapter 2

"Here. Take this," a tall, slight, dark-haired young girl with almond-shape eyes handed me a white linen handkerchief. I glowered at her and hit her hand away. "I'll dirty it. Blood stains are difficult to wash," my eyes traveled to her clean white dress. I hated girls like her. Those that look so dainty and stuff like that. If only I didn't thought she would probably die if I leave her in the mercy of those sonofabitches, I woulda left her. I wiped the blood off my lips. And glowered at her again.

She still stood there, complacent and unmoving. Then she pushed her hand forward and pressed it upon my bleeding face. "You're so stubborn. You need real medical help. But thanks for saving me anyway." Her beautiful, cold calm face remained as is, not a shadow or a ghost of an emotion passed by it. But she offered me her hand.

"Yumi. I'm Yamazaki Yumi."

"You still do this."

She shook her head, her long curling tresses bouncing. Sometimes, she's so beautiful I wonder if she's real. Or why don't she has any friends. And why does she always wear white. "Then what?" I whispered against the cold December air. She looked at me, in her usual piercing boring gaze and I felt myself drawn into a deep, strong, forceful vortex of the fathomless abyss of her eyes. Of her mind. Then, as if something broke cold tears ran down her cheeks.

"Sakura... I... I'm sinking. Help me. Please... help me."

"Oh no..." she turned white, almost ashen right before my eyes. I looked away. She gripped my shoulders. Hard. "You're digging your nails into my skin..." I said.

But her eyes reflected pure, unadulterated horror. "You didn't...."

"I threw it into the river. I know you can't do it. To hell with all the consequences."

With that, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed like eternity. Then at long last, she opened it. "We're dead, Sakura. We're as good as dead."

"Run now… don't stop! RUN!" Cold rain assaulted me and white gray fog enveloped us. "Yumi! Where are you!" I shouted against the rain. We got separated, and his hounds are after us. Then I felt her fall. "RUN! SAKURA! DON'T STOP TILL YOU GOT OUT OF THE GATES!!"

"I CAN'T LEAVE YOU!" I shouted back as I started to run back again. Panic and dread creeped over my limbs and made way towards my heart when I felt Yumi fell down.

"NO! IF YOU GO BACK, I SWEAR, I'LL KILL YOU! MAKE FOR THE G--"

Then, I heard tires squealing and cold light flashing, shouting and... and gunshots and I heard her body roll on the cold pavement. Her warning rang in my mind. I was shocked, the pain of the fact tore through me more than my bruised and battered body.

"NO!!!!!!!"

I shouted, louder than I shouted ever before. It was so loud it echoed through the walls and back, it was so loud it ripped into my ears and I jerked up and clawed my way out of the darkness. "NO!!!" Cold sweat gathered on my forehead, palms, face and back. My heart beats so painfully fast. My throat was dry and cold salty tears are running down my cheeks. A wrenching pain settled in my chest, like a long suppressed monster sensing its only way out. "No..." my screams died out into a faint trace of horror, a mumble, a gasp and a sob between all my tears. Tears? Tears?

Tears?

Then my head, specifically my forehead hit something really, really hard. I bounced back as repercussion. I bit my lip as pain rolled over me again.

"Oww…." I muttered although I tried my best to conceal it. I opened my eyes and stark white light hurt it. I shaded my eyes. Where am I now?

"That was a pretty powerful headbutt. You remind me of Sakuragi." Greeted a clear, easy voice. I flapped my eyes open again. And was greeted by the sight of a guy with slick black hair with an easy smile. Please, go away... I mentally willed him but it seemed futile. He wore faded blue jeans and a decent sweatshirt beneath a button-down polo. And he was leaning uncomfortably close on my face. My breath came in short rasping gasps. I closed my eyes and swallowed time and time again. It was so horrifying… I tried to shoo the nightmare away. It's effective, this time. The remnants of the hideous moments left almost insignificant traces and slowly faded away till nothing was left of it.

My body slowly returned to present time. At length, I opened my eyes and spoke.

"Where am I? And why are you leaning like that?" I pointed at, my eyes narrowing at his dark ones sharply. He laughed. "I was just checking you out. You were screaming and…" his brows knitted, as if debating to say something but decided against it. "You're in the hospital, which I bet you wanted to know, and you just woke up now first time three days in a row." He finished his long long sentence at last.

"Three days?" I closed my eyes again and counted. Swallowed again until I almost swore my throat would ignite. I honestly didn't stay in a hospital that long. I tried to get up and walk but pain and unbearable weakness restrained me. I groaned. Damn. But on second thought, it's good. First, I'm alive and second, the pain wrenched me completely out of the dark hole of insanity which I was about to slip down helplessly.

He stood up and put his hands in his pocket. "Well, I guess you're fine. So, gotta go. I'll drop by later with Sauichirro, Ookusu and Takamiya. They want to see you too." But his eyes narrowed on my face and I knew he knows something is wrong. Was wrong. Luckily, he didn't press me. I wiped my face hastily. Damn this tears. I hate weakness. Any form of my own weakness. My own.

"Does my aunt know this?" I asked him, changing the topic. I searched my ol' rusty brain for his name. Who is he? I know him… He's… he is… Youhei Mito…

"Yeah but she never came over," he informed me. I know. "She cares more about the thousand and one stray cats in the neighborhood than she would to me even if we're the last humans on earth," I mumbled. Well, not so low 'cause he heard. He laughed.

I frowned. Why do you keep on laughing, twit? You gave me a powerful headbutt 'cause you're leaning too close when you shouldn't be and now because I mumbled something that isn't so amusing but you find so. Then, suddenly the door swung open and three figures stepped inside. "Konnichiwa!" they greeted me. Well, you know who they are.

They brought flowers too. Yech. But I forced a smile. Sometimes you have to. They took pains to bring me flowers anyway. Then, the fat one [he's Takamiya, you know.]. Okay. Takamiya handed the flowers to me. Dandelions, thistles and dandelions. Where did you get his? Sidewalk, perhaps? Or the bike route?

"Uh… thanks," I mumbled something like that. Sauichirro spoke first. "How are you?" You wana know? Well, I feel like crap and if you're anywhere near being a civilized person, you people, should go away and leave me alone. I sighed. Crap, Sakura, they're the only person who actually cared to visit you in your whole lifetime. If there's anybody else who needs a bit of civilization you're talking about, it's you. I sighed again.

"Fine, I guess…" I just said instead. "Well, were are you guys going to?" I inquired. They don't look like they are going to school.

"Panchinko. You go there?" Mito answered me. I shook my head. "Nah. But don't you guys get kicked out? You're still minors."

"Sometimes. Depends on our luck. So, I think we gotta go. Recover fast," he waved and followed his friends outside. I nodded and looked at the flowers lying on my lap.

Dandelion, thistles and dandelion. A stray lone freesia got in here too. Somehow, I found it amusing and a shadow of a smile passed my face.

Well, just a shadow.

Mito

I heard my stomach launch its expected revolution. Grrhhmm…. Shrmmmm…. Krrrmmm…. Luckily, the professor let us go from the stuffy padded cell he calls classroom. Sakuragi and I stepped out of the class and headed towards the canteen. Since The Three Eggs belong to different complex, we just meet during breaks.

Students streamed through the corridors. Then a medium-height girl brushed by me and grunted as an apology. Hey, I know that greeting… I grinned. I caught her elbow. Then she turned around and gave me a powerful left hook nimbly.

People around us gasped. "Oh, Shinta Sakura, Year 1-11. You can expect something like that everyday from the freak," a dry comment sounded. Sakura didn't seem to hear it, and if she did, she didn't give any notice. Shocked (and mostly, surprised) I let her go and my hand instantly went up to my assaulted cheek. "Shinta, you greet people funny." I mockingly glared at her. She just shrugged her shoulders, "You greet people funny, Youhei."

"Hey, who is she, your girlfriend?" Sakuragi jabbed me as he whispered. But not low enough. I felt Sakura stiffen. "Dream on, red monkey," I heard her mutter.

"Why you…" nerves jutted out Sakuragi's forehead, his arms ready to throttle Sakura's neck. Like he could.

"You what?" Sakura retaliated, her coffee-brown eyes narrowing down to Sakuragi. Looking down on him, even if she's looking up at him, and making he look like a piece of crap. Sakuragi answered her. Soon, "The Battle of the Most Evil Evil Evil Glare" began.

"Look guys, no need to make a scene okay? Hey, it's lunch break. Wana join us?" I asked her. She shrugged again and shifted her overly large duffel bag on her shoulders. "I'm cutting classes. I'm going out," she said.

"No you won't. C'mon. Takamiya, Ookusu and Sauichirro are waiting," I persisted. Sakura gave me a look. Then she gave in. "Aight. But you owe me one, ol' bud."

"No way!" Sakuragi protested but I elbowed him. C'mon. Not now. Then we went to the canteen.

Sakuragi

Mito likes her. I don't. ::glares:: Sakura glared back. For the umpteenth time, we're doing the battle of the glares. But there's something about her that I sense different. Unique. She doesn't speak much. She doesn't comment much. Like she's built 6 feet thick walls made of ice (she could beat Rukawa) around her. But her eyes reflect sarcasm, anger, amusement and the deepness of her personality clearer than anybody I've ever met does.

[::gasps:: You actually think?!]

Stop glaring at me, freak. Okay, back to the topic. What am I saying? Never mind. Just drop it. Oh, by the way, do you now how I just hate Rukawa? He's so… so bigheaded! I don't know why is he like that… He's got no even a crap for a brain and blah blah blah blah… I'm 'The Tensai' y'know? I'm a basketball genius. Man, my dunks are just plain awesome… you should see me play blah blah blah…

[::yawns:: Sakuragi, we're not really interested y'know…]

…and he thinks he shoots so great when he's so amateur and…

[-_-;; he can't take a hint. I see.]

Sakura

Mito stuck by me like a bitchin' leech. When I just wanted to be alone. Ah, my lost solitude! Now, my background is the twanging of Takamiya & Co.'s latest news who got busted and who didn't. They persisted to accompany me home. I didn't want to. But they persisted. I gave in just to zip their hell-ofa-mouth shut. Boy, was I ever wrong.

And there's that big mutt who kept on glaring and muttering insults to me. Sakuragi Hanamichi. I snickered. If looks could kill, I woulda died. ::evil laugh::

"Look, my house is very far and I take shortcuts. So, we'll have to pass an alley," I told them as I headed towards a dark and stinky alleyway. A rat scurried by my feet. I paid no goddamn heed.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" Mito asked from behind. I looked back. He has his usual trademark, easy, Mito smile. I opened my mouth to answer when the thin slits of daylight got blocked. I turned around. Three street thugs totally blocked the narrow passageway. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw three appear from behind. Bad news. The image of my purple and yellow patch of skin on my stomach flashed in my mind. I grimaced a little. Then look at the dark bleak sky. Right. Six is to six. It's equal. Unless they have bloody iron knuckles again.

Then I saw the glint of cold cruel metal.

Scratch my last statement.

Unless they've got loaded.

And they are.

Sakuragi

Huh? What's this?

Mito

Oh well… here we go again. I sighed. This girl. I made a tsk tsk sound inwardly.

Takamiya

Not today. I just ate peach crepe with cola float and I don't want to just puke it on some insignificant people like you.

Ookusu

I knew going in an alleyway as dark as this is a bad idea.

Sauichirro

You're right, bro.

Sakura

"It's one to one then." I stated plainly. The air seemed so taut I could almost feel its texture on my skin. I scrutinized them with my experienced eyes. There's only one of them loaded. Others might've a knife, iron knuckles or any other kind of petty things but guns? No.

I nimbly stepped back so that I'll be close enough to Mito that my shoulders touched his. "I'll take care of this guy in the middle, front. You guys pick your own dish," I whispered. Mito gave me a look. I didn't respond. Somehow, I knew he wouldn't let me handle this guy if he knew the reason why.

"You're sure you can handle this?"

I nodded. I turned to face the ex-convict lookalike. Wherever Yashamite gets his dogs, I'll bet my soul it's from the town jail. Believe me.

"Sakura…" he hissed. "Who are you?" I asked him instead.

"None of your business. Let's just get o'er this."

"Sure."

With that, I spun around and aimed a high kick at his chest. He grunted then grasped my leg.

"Fool," I breathed. I jumped and propelled my legs forward and he fell a good few feet behind. Luckily, Mito and Co.'s reflexes weren't slow. As soon as I delivered a mind-numbing blow on this… this mutt, they got into action. So, to put it in a mild description, we're right in the middle of a bloody, bloody, bloody action.

I turned my attention back to 'him'. Why do I have to refer him like he's some great gang leader or what? He's just one hired street thugs who doesn't even know the meaning of 'professional'. I ran nimbly towards him as I noticed him drawing something from his dark leather jacket. Yeah right.

"No, you don't." Then, I sunk my right fist on his left face. "Bitch!" he yelled. I smiled darkly as I continued to beat the crap out of him.

He's just a tiresome twisted joke of a prick.

Mito

Great. The iron knuckles weren't for me today. Thank God for small favors. Ookusu got it today. Just one lousy pocket knife. Crap.

Sakuragi

"You don't give up, don't you?" I snarled at him. He looks far more dangerous than Tetsuo and his gang. I punched him again and I heard his nose break under my fist. I smiled. Yet he also drove his fist against mine. I felt my nose break under his fist. Crap.

Mito

I breathed heavily. I punched him again. He staggered back. Then, he retaliated, punching me again. This went on and on. I can't duck his shots that effectively anymore. I'm getting dizzy. Alas, he's down.

I leaned on the wall, my forehead touching it. Man, I'm so tired. Then I heard a decisive kick and a soft groan before a body fell on the ground. I spun around. I saw Sakura in front of me, a guy with his ice pick on his hand, unconscious at my feet. "The score's even, then." Sakura stated, with all mocked seriousness and grinning eyes.

Sakura

The bastard blocked out after a few more slammin' and punchin'. With one last deliberate swung of my leg, I delivered him my last token. I don't want to finish him off. Hell, staining my hands with his blood isn't all worth it. I stood up. Mito was badly injured. Same with Sakuragi, Takamiya and Co. But, well, still standing and breathing.

I see they finished them off too already. I walked towards them. I slung Ookusu's arm across my shoulder and helped him up. "Guys…" I started awkwardly. So, what am I supposed to say? "…how are you feeling?" I said lamely instead. Mito let out a toothy grin. "You can't guess, can you?"

I have to suppress a grin. "Yeah… well, I'm sorry I have to drag you in this mess. But thanks anyway. You saved my life for the second time."

Sakuragi smiled, actually smiled at me. Well, with arrogant and unbelievably windy attitude, he could beat a hurricane. He proceeded with his 'I'm a genius speech'. I waved my hand as if to shoo the incoming not-so-good nightmare. I'd rather face these thugs again than to endure his long long monologue about his 'amazing abilities'.

Sakuragi helped up Takamiya and Mito helped Sauichirro. "I can treat you at home, you know. C'mon, follow me." I beckoned them. Of the six of us, it's the only me who appeared unscratched.

"You fight really good. I wonder why you can't handle the three thugs in the alleyway before?" Mito said after a long pause. I shrugged and shifted Ookusu on my shoulder. "I took martial arts lessons before. But I never could handle more than one. I dunno what's wrong with me. Probably my focus is only made for one on one stuff. Can never do with two. I get so distracted I end up as crap."

Mito smiled but he looks so tired. Huh? Then, suddenly, he staggered back and fell. I put Ookusu down and rushed to him. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you all right?"

Mito didn't answer me. I noticed that his left side is a little bit darker than the rest of his uniform. I placed my hand on it.

Oh God.

It is soaked with wet red blood. I ripped his uniform. And found a huge gaping wound.

Oh God.

*******

A man in a sleek black limousine shifted his dark shades up his fine, chiseled nose. He's in his late 30's, probably, but his hair is as black as ebony with no trace of white. His forehead sweeps high and he has pale complexion. He trained his sharp eyes on the girl again. She knelt beside a guy. The guy is obviously fond of her. Is she? She could not be. No. She better not be. He watched the whole rough play from beginning to end. A grin crept up and turned the corners of his sensual lips upwards. Good… so far, so good….

"Let's go," he ordered his chauffeur and the car rolled away.

Wicked Angel: Alas! This is finished! the chapter, that is Sorry, I sort of crammed it 'cause… 'cause I crammed it. Sorry. But I just hope you like this chapter.

By the way if you have the trouble of visualizing Sakura, envision Tomoe (not in the movie, she looks creepy there but in the posters and pictures on the web.) She's Kenshin's wife. Okay, if you still don't get it, it's like, hmmm… Egyptian eyes. You know, like Cleopatra (yech!). No, not really. It's narrow, you know. Not like Haruko's wide eyes. Hers are narrow and sharp. Goes with the personality (but she's not narrow-minded, if that's what you're thinking).

Ja!

Tensaispira: Hey, thanks for the continuous support for my two fics. ::falls forward on kness and begins worshipping:: You're heaven-sent.

Nellie and jeano: You think so? :: thinks hard:: Hahahaha. That means I still have the ability to deceive people. ::evil laugh on background::