Chapter 2:Snowflake
Rejected. Unrequited. Disregarded. The words refer only to one single person: Toshiki Uryu. He was rejected by his own clan. His love for Kazuki had always been left unrequited. Disregarded, that was how he felt from the very first day he joined Fuuga. Nobody liked him, and everything Kazuki showered his attention to was his ally, as well as his rival, Kakei Jubei. Alone and nowhere else to go. That is Uryu Toshiki.
It was snowing so hard, but it didn't matter. He was sitting alone in front of somebody's house. His eyes were staring blankly into the deep, dark sky as countless snowflakes found there way to his wounded and very feverish body. It was cold and lonely, but he never cared. Nobody wants him. Nobody is waiting for him. He closed his eyes as he listened to the sweet melody that came from the piano inside of the house. This is the end of my life. He smiled at himself, thinking that whatever would become of him that snowy night will not matter to anyone. He was, after all, disregarded. He was slowly drifting away, and his body was already at the verge of collapsing. He thought he heard someone called. He thought he felt a silky soft tenderness touch his skin. Then he felt a very hard slap on his cheek.
"Ow…"
"I'm sorry for slapping you hard on the cheek! What are you thinking, staying out without a scarf or a sweater in this freezing weather anyway? You should've knocked on my door and kept yourself warm. You poor thing…stay awake, won't you? I'm going to bring you inside."
A girl,eh? Why in the world would she be staying out in the cold to save a total stranger? The girl sighed, as if to tell Toshiki how heavy he was. The smell…is very sweet…They finally arrived inside the girl's house, where a fire was burning gleefully. The girl put Toshiki to the sofa and covered him with very thick blankets. "You're feverish, mister. You should've just knocked. I'll let you in anyway." The girl ran her fingers to his hair and cheeks. The hand was so soft, filled with gentleness. How he wished the night would never end…how he wished…how he wished…
He opened his eyes to find himself lying down in a hospital bed. He groggily turned his head to see a beautiful angelic face asleep on his bedside. "Kazuki…Kazuki…" He stretched out his arm to touch the beautiful face, but a sharp pain stopped him from doing so. He grunted, waking the beauty up.
"Toshiki-san, are you feeling all right?" the melodic voice asked. "I mended your wounds already. I'm so sorry for putting you in to so much trouble. And thank you very much for saving my life." Toshiki stared at her with great disappointment. "I thought you were Kazuki."
"Kazuki-san is still sleeping. I heard that Jubei-san had a fever last night. You also had a fever, too, Toshiki-san. You need to rest."
Toshiki was angry and sad at the same time when he heard what Kazuno said. "Would you please leave me alone?"
Kazuno was mortified. She gave Toshiki a sad and concerned look. "I'm sorry, Toshiki-san. I can't do that. Your burn had an infection, and you did not sleep very well last night because of your fever. I owe my life to you and you still aren't well enough to be left alone. I can't leave you now, or Kazuki-san might kill me if I do."
Toshiki was ashamed for acting so immaturely in front of someone who cared for him the whole night. He wanted to apologize, but was too shy to do so.
An hour passed and still, nobody had spoken. It was an awkward scenario.
"Kazuki-san…he's really a beautiful person isn't he? Nobody would actually think that he's a guy!" she let out a soft giggle. "Would you like me to get you some breakfast?"
"No, don't bother. I'm not hungry."
Kazuno gave Toshiki a scolding look. She pouted and said, "You're not going to eat? But you should eat, Toshiki-san. You're not well yet, and it's my treat anyway."
Toshiki looked at her pouting face and thought how cute she looked. The tone of her voice and the way she scolded him all reminded him of Kazuki.
"Fine, Kazuki, I'll eat."
"That's good to hear," Kazuno replied with a smile. "By the way, Toshiki-san, my name is Kazuno. Kazuno Shihonami."
"Y-yeah, sorry, Shihonami-san."
"I'll get you some breakfast. I'll get you some egg rolls."
How did you know I like egg rolls? Toshiki was a bit surprised. Not even Kazuki knew that he liked egg rolls. Kazuno was really something.
"You're wondering about how I knew you like egg rolls, right?" she asked with a smile. Toshiki turned pink. She just read his mind.
"It's just a guess. I'm right, am I not?"
"Whatever. Get me something to eat. I'm hungry."
"Right."
Kazuno giggled, seeing how Toshiki had turned pink. She walked toward the door and was about to get out of the room. "Toshiki-san."
"Yeah."
"Nothing."
Kazuno left the room. Toshiki was looking out on the window. He smirked at himself, thinking of how similar Kazuno really was to Kazuki. He sat up on his bed and reached for a glass of water. His attempt was unsuccessful; the water spilled and the glass broke. "Crap." The door suddenly opened and Kazuno went in.
"Here's your breakfast, Toshi-…" Kazuno slipped. The food fell all over the floor. Kazuno fell on Toshiki. She was atop Toshiki. They were both mortified. Their position was compromising. And another thing: their lips locked.
Kazuno stood up from the bed, shocked and horrified. Toshiki was wandering at his own thoughts. He felt that body before. He felt that hand before. Clearly, it was not Kazuki. He recalled the feeling of the girl's hand when he helplessly laid on a floor of freezing snow. That feeling…that hand, that warmth, that smell… it was very Kazuno. Toshiki smirked at his thoughts. "So impossible."
