Black Drive

Chapter Two:

"Just Trust In Our Love"

Souta's hands were sure, skilled and his voice was soothing to Rin's ears. She felt safe while she was with him and he made sure that she felt no pain. Her hands trailed up the smooth skin of his bare back, her nails digging into the skin in some spots, her voice unable to function correctly, for all she could get out were quiet moaning noises and the occasional high-pitched cry. His skin felt warm to her, his touch gentle. She could almost feel the love, almost reach out and touch the emotions they shared behind each and very warm caress, every soft kiss. It was like heaven on earth.

Or they could be floating…Rin was never sure as to what it was Souta was up to, but right at the moment, she could have sworn…that she was floating. Her heart was certainly floating…higher and higher…and swaying to Souta's pull.

"I love you, Inou Belle…"

The warmth the memory provided was cut short by the feeling of damp, cold silk on Rin's skin. Her dress and body were soaked to the bone, her hair stuck to her face and her veil lay on the grass, forgotten. She looked as though she was the one who'd been left at the altar, but in reality…her heart was broken and so was Souta's. She wasn't about to run back to him and beg for forgiveness.

"Rin-chan?"

For a moment, Rin forgot where she was and looked up. "Mama?"

It was the much younger Natsuki, who gave Rin a tiny smile. "I'm not your Mama, you know."

Rin's eyes watered again. "I want my mother…" She wept, placing her face in her hands and crying again.

Natsuki's eyes widened. "Rin-chan, what's the matter? Why'd you leave?" She bit her lip and began to think like a mother (or at least try to). Then, it came to her. She knelt in the dirt and gave Rin a tight hug, allowing her to cry into Natsuki's yellow dress.

"Rin-chan, what happened?" Natsuki asked. "You seemed all ready and all set to marry Souta-san…did you stop loving him or something?"

"No…" Rin's voice was about as small as she felt. "I was insulted for the first time in a long time…and my emotions couldn't take it. It took me forever to get away from the bad memories of the past…and they came right back to bite me on the butt."

"What memories?"

"When I was a kid, I was kind of skinny, awkward, clumsy…and then Dad made me get braces to straighten my teeth and I inherited his black hair, which was oily a lot, so I looked kind of messy…and people took an almost sick pleasure in making fun of me or taunting me or humiliating me to the point in which…" Rin inhaled. "I left my private high school to undergo Boukenger training with Kei and Hikari and them…. it was such a nice change of pace…. and I thought I could leave it all behind…" She sighed. "Last month I went into this bridal shop with Zuban and Hikari to look for a gown to wear for today." She laughed. "Zuban picked this out and I bought it…but after seeing the way Hikari was treated…. it just…" She sighed.

It was a horrible thing, to hate one's sibling, but Rin often found herself at that point whenever she was told to take Hikari with her and was accompanied by Kei. It stung bad enough when guys would stop and flirt with Kei and then complimented her for being gracious enough to spend time with someone as "unattractive" as Rin.

It got exponentially worse when Hikari was with them. Hikari looked like Natsuki at a younger age a good deal of the time and everyone commented on how cute or adorable or pretty Hikari was. And then, when they noticed Rin, they would remark about how Rin had been badly shortchanged by genetics. Or something nasty. No matter how much Rin tried to block it out, it came back…and she was always upset to hear it.

One particular afternoon, Hikari and Rin had gone out shopping for Hikari's school uniform and Rin had come across Sayuri and her "posse".

"Look, everyone, its Baka Inou." Sayuri said, coldly.

Rin had tried, she really did, to ignore it all and then Hikari had come out wearing her uniform and went "Nee-chan, how do I look?"

Sayuri took one look at Hikari and then Rin and then Rin felt like she was going to die on the spot.

"That cannot be your little sister, Baka Inou." Sayuri said. "She's too cute to have any of your genes."

Rin's cheeks turned a burning red color and then she tried to move away from Sayuri and wound up crashing into three clothes racks, falling and then everything came down on top of her.

"Nee-chan!" Hikari wasted no time in running to her sister's side.

"You see, girls? Not only is she ugly, she's also a clumsy fool, aren't you, Baka Inou? And she does have a cuter sister. Hey, you should come to school in your sister's place." Sayuri's voice was scathing. "After all, you'd be much nicer to look at then Baka Inou." Sayuri laughed and left.

"Are you okay, nee-chan?" Hikari asked.

Rin didn't respond right away. She just placed her head on the carpet and cried.

"Everyone always figured out, usually, that Hikari was my little sister. I hated it when they did because they always told her how pretty she looked. Then when they saw me..." Rin sighed. "No one ever, with the exception of Mama or Papa, ever said that I was beautiful. Souta-sensei…he was the first person who did."

Natsuki nodded. "I see."

"When those women made fun of me in the dress shop, it was like being in high school without Kei-chan all over again. See, people were scared of Kei because when she was a kid, she had a nasty temper…but she was ahead of me in school and graduated early, opting to do that Boukenger training thing…I was upset at her for leaving, but I knew that Kei-chan wouldn't be satisfied with a regular job or career. She wanted something more…and who was I to hold her back?"

"So, you never said anything…"

Rin nodded. "I was so happy when she came back and offered to take me with her. I wanted to go…I couldn't wait to pack my bags. And I left and never looked back…" She looked at her soaked hands and wept. "And now, it's all come back to ruin it all. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror without wanting to scream. I tried to block it all out but just that simple remark sounded like Sayuri's voice in my head tormenting me and telling me that once Souta saw me as a gorgeous bride and then Baka Inou…he'd never want to be near me again…once he came to his senses…"

"That's silly." Natsuki said. "Natsuki knows that Souta-san loves you like no other. He was so upset when he watched you run away. Natsuki thinks he cried a little."

"Souta cried?" Rin asked, her heart falling into her chest. Her stomach twisted into knots. Her voice grew smaller. "He cried?"

"Well, he didn't cry openly, but Natsuki saw a tear roll down his cheek." Natsuki sighed. "Natsuki thinks that Rin-chan isn't the only one hurting today."

Rin had stopped listening a while ago and thought long and hard. Was this really what she wanted to do? Did she really want to hurt Souta this way and in the same fashion, herself? Were her personal demons worth denying herself a lifetime of happiness in the arms of someone who loved her?

Are you content to let Sayuri win? The idea of letting the very bitch who'd made Rin's school years a veritable hell, win filled Rin with rage and she leapt up, shocking Natsuki.

"Rin-chan?!"

Rin grabbed her veil and started to run, her tears blinding her vision (or it could have been the rain, she wasn't sure). She could hear Natsuki calling her, but was too far away to hear what Natsuki was saying.

SOUTA-SENSEI!

"I love you, Mogami Souta." Rin had whispered the words while she thought that Souta was asleep, but he had heard her murmured declaration of love. It warmed him in places where he thought he could never be warmed. Her love was something so strong that he could almost reach out and grab it as it enveloped him and pulled him under. But that was okay. He'd be okay…as long as she was with him.

"Souta-sensei!"

Yami no Shizuka chuckled. "I guess that's my cue to leave."

Souta stood up from his place on the church steps and squinted, looking around. He thought he heard Rin calling for him. Sometimes, she called him "Souta-sensei" in place of "Souta". "Rin-chan?!"

Suddenly, a soaking wet figure in white appeared out of the shimmering haze. "Souta-sensei." It murmured.

It was Rin.

"Rin-chan…"

"Forgive me, Souta." She murmured. "I never should have left." She looked at her feet. "I should have told you everything, but that meant opening wounds that I wanted to heal." She sighed. "I will understand if you never want…"

Souta's kiss sealed her mouth closed and her heart soared.

"I love you no matter what." He murmured.

Rin wept with joy and embraced him and he twirled her around and around, and they kissed over and over…their hearts beating in a steady, happy, unified rhythm.

"I love you, Inou Rin…"

She smiled.

"I love you too, Mogami Souta."