The Romance Of Taiki Kayashima Part 2

Rinoko Fujioka sat on a park bench staring off into space. She was waiting for Taiki Kayashima a 16 year old spiritual medium who she had confessed her feelings of love to the previous night. After assuring Kayashima she understood the feeling was not mutual she had asked him to join her in the park at 5 the following day. Now it was 4:50 PM and Taiki was due to arrive shortly. Five minutes later , dressed in a black gray stripped sweater Taiki Kayashima sat down next to her and asked. "Why did you want me to come here?"

"There is the spirit of a young boy roaming around here causing little children to get lost in the nearby woods." Unknown to anyone else she too was a medium and had fallen for Kayashima because of the spiritual ties they shared. However, her powers were not as advanced or well toned as his so she was at a lost to try to help the child.

"I see" His expression never changing Taiki got up and followed his senses to were the young spirit was. Rinoko followed. Dressed in an elementary school uniform the spirit looked at Taiki with menacing eyes it had a dark aura around it and Taiki could feel the negative energy it emitted.

"Stand back, this is not a mere child's spirit. This is a ghost unlike any other I have ever encountered. It is only taking this form to confuse people who may see it into thinking it the spirit of a lost little boy." Kayashima reached into his pocket for his prayer beads but immediately the spirit sprung at Rinoko in attempt to possess her.

"Rinoko! Get out of the way!"

Taiki seized the spirit by grabbing a hold of it. It laughed mercilessly as it sunk into his body quickly taking control of him. Taiki's once black eyes turned a demonic red as he lunged at Rinoko. Wrapping his arms around her torso and covering her mouth with his hand to prevent her from screaming. He pulled the sharp hair pin out of her hair and held it to her throat still laughing. Rinoko tried to break free but was only squeezed tighter and tighter until she was on the verge of fainting when...

"G-get out of m-my body!" Kayashima said between the laughter that was spilling out his mouth. Rinoko elbowed him in the chest trying to struggle out of his iron grip. Taiki stumbled and fell. Thinking fast Rinoko pulled a small pouch out of her pocket and aimed it at Taiki's head. Instantly the bag exploded as blue powder came pouring out of it. The spirit howled in pain as it was the powder landed on Taiki. It oozed out of his body into its previous form. Defeated, it vanished into thin air as Taiki got to his feet.

"Thanks. I underestimated the spirit's power. Without you I'd probably be in serious trouble." Kayashima gave her a rare smile few had seen. She blushed, proud she'd saved her crush's life. Looking at a nearby clock they realized it was almost seven 'o clock, both of their school's dinner time.

"I doubt we'll make it back in time. And since curfew's not till ten we could-" She hesitated before finishing the sentence. What if he didn't want to have dinner with her?

"There's a bistro not too far from here. We could eat there if you want." Taiki felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Had he just asked a girl out for the first time?

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"So, I'm walking back to my dorm one day and I see a boy by the window. Now it's raining really hard and the boy doesn't seem to mind at all, he just keeps looking through the window watching people walk by. Since I seem to be the only one who notices him I immediately think it's a ghost. I rushed outside with my exorcism powder and prayer beads and guess who do I find. Your perverted RA, Minami Nanba. That idiot was looking for Julia even though she had left a week before. He was convinced she was hiding from him because she was afraid he would reject her if she confessed she did love him." Rinoko sat in the Hidden Lotus Cafe with Taiki who was intently listening to the lengths his fellow classmates went to just to get close to a St. Blossom student.

"And then?" Taiki was astounded by how desperate Nanba had become when Julia rejected him.

"I kicked him in the head for being so dumb and went back to my room so I could dry off." Rinoko ended with a smirk forming on her face. She couldn't stand the girl crazy boys she encountered when ever St.Blossom and Osaka co-hosted an event. Taiki sipped his tea and decided he liked Rinoko's company. She was energetic like Nakatsu but not in the occasionally annoying way. And her aura was beautiful and pure unlike anything he had ever seen. He felt his face heating up as she stared at him with this eyes the shade of pure water.

"Hmm. Nanba never struck me as the desperate type. But then again looks can be deceiving. I only have one question for you." Kayashima tried to direct his thoughts elsewhere. But Rinoko's voice proved too much of a detour.

"I told you I loved you because I didn't want to be distracted when we encountered the spirit. But-" She smiled. "I think after today nothing will make me take my focus off a ghost now. Tell me Taiki, do you like yoga?" She was trying to ease a little bit of information to find out if they shared more than clairvoyance abilities.

"As a matter of fact it's one of my favorite hobbies. I feel it helps relax the mind and put the body at ease. Another one of my hobbies is ping pong but I'm much better at bowling." Taiki's parents had been bowling champions and it seemed to run in the family. He leaned in close to her. Her perfume was the fragrance of a gentian blossom.

"That's so- Look at the time! We're going to miss curfew!"

Rinoko shot up and grabbed Kayashima by the hand rushing him out the door. Still holding on to him she started running at break neck speed down the sidewalk.Taiki struggled to keep up as she kept tugging viciously on his arm. As they rounded the corner she slipped on the snow that sprinkled the sidewalk sending Taiki crashing. Just as Rinoko rolled over in an attempt to get up he landed on top of her. Their lips met and they shared a brief kiss. Blushing and not meeting the others eye, the couple walked the rest of the way to Saint Blossom still holding hands.

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"Kayashima?" Nakatsu asked as the blushing teen made his way to the bathroom.

"What's up?"

"You just look so-"

"Happy?" Kayashima flashed a wide grin and disappeared into the bathroom.