While I was editing this chapter, I was actually listening to Next Innovation track from RMPW. God! The argument of Fuuko and Tokiya lined up perfectly well. You could literally use it for background music. XD Ah, well, back to the story! More ToFuu moments for all you readers to enjoy. :D
STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED
Chapter 3
Behind The Cold Wall
Fuuko was already really pissed due to the encounter with the unknown boy and it didn't help that the history period was dragging on. 'God I hate world history and worse, it has to be the cold war! Why the hell do we have to even study history? I don't even see the use of studying it in the first place.' Fuuko turned her face, cupped by her palm, around to stare out of the window. 'What a waste of time.'
The teacher finally put her book down on the table, "So that's it for now. Make sure you all study this chapter well. I will be keeping a test on this tomorrow."
"Aww!" The whole class complained as Fuuko rolled her eyes, 'Great! Today is just getting better and better.' The teacher cleared her throat, "No awws and no boos. The result will be considered for your credits. So study well. Good day."
Finally the bell rang and the teacher walked out of the class.
Fuuko was collecting all her books when her physics teacher came into the class and called her. Fuuko obeyed and followed him to the staff room.
"Please sit down, Kirisawa." The teacher spoke as he pulled his chair to sit down.
She did as she was told, while she was silently anticipating on what she might hear.
"Kirisawa, regarding the test you took last week, well, here is the result." He handed the answer sheet to Fuuko.
Fuuko nervously took her paper from the teacher's hand and looked at it. She then looked up at the teacher with a smile playing on her lips. She had got a perfect score again.
"Well done, Kirisawa." The teacher nodded in approval, "So as I had earlier told you, you will be going to the advance physics class with your seniors; starting today."
"But sir I don't…"
"I took the liberty of getting the text books for you from the library," The teacher said while pointing out the books lying on his table, "so you won't have a problem. The next period is physics for you, I assume?"
"Yes sir." Fuuko nodded, politely.
"In that case you'll be heading for the advance class. You may take your leave."
"Thank you, sir" Fuuko took the books from the teacher's table and walked out of the staff room after giving one last bow, to show her respects and gratitude.
'Yes! Finally, some good news.' Fuuko walked with smile donning on her face. 'Now I can definitely apply for that scholarship.' She briskly walked to her class and collected all her books and then headed towards her locker. She placed her books in the locker and took the ones she required and headed toward her new classroom.
'Boy, I'm so excited! Can't wait to meet my new classmates against whom I'll be competing to get my scholarship. I am going to beat them hands down!' Fuuko thought while relishing her latest achievement.
Despite her carefree facade towards academics, Fuuko was actually highly competitive. It has been her goal, for two years now, to be a part of the prestigious institution-Harvard University to aspire her dream to become an astronaut. To do that, she needed to earn extra credits and recommendations to earn a full-fledged scholarship, apart from a high SAT score. Maths and physics has always been her strong points and she would never fail to surprise her teachers in it. She was also a part of the track team, where she excelled in 100 and 200 meters dash along with long and high jump.
The purple-haired girl was finally right in front of her new class, 'Mom, Dad. I hope you are watching me.' Just then she felt a presence behind her and she turned around. Standing behind her, was her new physics teacher, Mrs Austin.
"You must be the new student from first year?" The half-Japanese teacher inquired, amiably.
"Yes madam; my name is Fuuko Kirisawa. Please take care of me," Fuuko bowed.
The teacher nodded with a smile on her face, "Well, then, Ms Kirisawa, please follow me."
"Yes, madam," Fuuko nodded and followed her new physics teacher into the class. Mrs Austen briefly introduced her to the class and then requested her to occupy the empty seat in the last row, near the windows. She obediently walked towards the place assigned to her and settled down. After placing her textbook and note on the table, she turned her head to greet her bench-mate. Much to her annoyance, her bench-mate was none other than the boy from the morning.
"You!" She hissed. Tokiya merely glanced at her nonchalantly and then continued to look at the teacher. 'Why that jerk! First, he goes around insulting me and now he actually has the audacity to ignore me. Not even an apology! Just whom does he think he is?'
Tokiya Mikagami walked casually towards the rooftop and sat on a shady place near the tank. Just when he did, he felt a familiar presence, walking right towards him. He looked up with one of his coldest glares, fully intending to drive that person away. However, his cold glare was met with fiery one.
"It's YOU!" Fuuko screamed at the top of her voice while pointing her index finger at him.
"So what, monkey?" Mikagami looked away, indifferently, and continued to unwrap his lunch.
"Why you?! First you insult me in front of everyone, then you invade my private spot; finally, you actually have the nerve to call me a monkey!" Fuuko walked in front of him so as to gain his attention.
"This is a school, meaning, a public property. Besides, I don't see your name written over here. So why don't you shoo off to one of your trees and let me have my lunch in peace."
By now Fuuko was that close to losing her temper. She wanted to beat him up to the point, where he would have to be admitted into the ICU. 'Calm down Fuuko, remember the scholarship. You can't get it if you get involved in a fight inside school.'
Tokiya was actually surprised. Nobody before could ever stand up to his cold glare, much less counter it; they'd either run away or freeze on the spot. But, she was actually glaring back at him. Not to mention that she was immune to his looks. Normally, girls would faint or scream out of ecstasy. Yet, here was this girl, who was currently mumbling to herself, ignoring his "charms" and yelling at him, very loudly.
'Like a monkey.' Tokiya thought as he grasped her mumble something along the lines of scholarship. 'Maybe not all girls are stupid.' Tokiya shrugged. Meanwhile, Fuuko was too busy trying to calm herself down to notice him staring at her.
"Quit talking to yourself, monkey. Only crazy people do that." Tokiya spoke statically, still looking at his lunch as the corner of his lips twitched up, forming a smirk.
Fuuko took heaved a deep breath and let it out through her mouth. "Okay look, this place is usually where I always hang about during my free times. So would you please be kind enough to find some other place."
Tokiya smirk grew wider at her sudden change of behaviour, 'And she is highly amusing.' He could, however, feel her seething silently.
Fuuko snapped seeing him smirk at her, "What are you smirking at? Didn't you hear me?" Here she was, exerting all her energy to control her temper, and this man's face was actually donned with a mocking smirk.
"Of course I did, I just preferred not to listen." Tokiya shrugged.
"Why you, insufferable, fridgeboy! Even being polite isn't enough for you, huh? Just whom do you think you are? You are not a god that I'll fall and worship your feet and beg you to move. You're nothing but a pathetic doll face who …"
Tokiya felt a vibration in his pocket. 'Must be Amiya.' He got up and walked away, leaving a stumped Fuuko behind, "Huh?" She stared at him retreating without a single protest, "That was unexpected."
Fuuko sat down and opened the knot of the cloth covering her bento, 'Ammm, did I go a bit overboard?' Fuuko stared at the chopsticks on top of the bento box, "Nah, he had that coming anyway." She shrugged and picked up the chopsticks. "Let's eat!" She exclaimed while clasping her hand, with the chopsticks between her fingers.
Just when she opened the box, she noticed a photo on the floor. It was a picture of a beautiful brunette girl. She had the kindest eyes and her smile was very warm. She picked it up and looked closely, "She looks a lot like that jerk." She mused, "Sister? But she seems to be of his age. Cousin, perhaps?" Fuuko kept the photo inside her skirt's pocket, 'I think he dropped it while going away. I'll give it to him later.' She thought as she resumed enjoying her brother's cooking.
Tokiya walked down the stairs and stood in front of his locker. 'What a long day.' He thought as he opened it and dumped his books inside, 'Finally, time to go home and rest.' Tokiya Mikagami never felt the need to carry the books back home. His keen listening skills and photographic memory allowed him to recall everything that was taken in the class. Not to mention his high IQ further boosted his grasping and understanding power. It was no wonder why he always came first in his class with not much effort. He studied in school and carried out his "other works" at home. Time, according to Mikagami, was precious and he made the most of it. Today, according to Amiya, was his day off. He could finally stay home and enjoy a silent time sleeping. Tokiya closed the locker and turned around only to see the purple-haired monkey standing right infront of him.
"Yo" Fuuko said, while leaning on the locker opposite to Tokiya's.
'Now what does she want?' Tokiya frowned at being interrupted. "What is it, monkey?"
Fuuko frowned at the nickname, "Relax, fridgeboy; I have no intentions of seeing you either. It's just that," Fuuko took out the photo from her pocket, "I came here to return something you might have dropped earlier, on the rooftop." She showed it to Tokiya. Seeing the photo, Tokiya instinctively put his hand into his pocket. 'It's not there.' Tokiya frowned at Fuuko and took the photo from her hand, while murmuring an inaudible thank you.
"Pardon?" Fuuko smirked and kept her hand behind her ear, "What did you say again?"
Mikagami glared at the audacious woman in front of him. How dare she make him say it again?
"Heh, don't push your luck, monkey." Mikagami took out his wallet and placed the photo carefully inside, earning a whistle from his companion.
"Well, well, a photo worth keeping in your wallet, huh? Then it must be important." Fuuko crossed her arm below her chest with a small smirk, "You would have lost it if I hadn't returned it to you." Fuuko stepped forward and poked him on his chest, "Why don't you swallow that crappy pride of yours and thank your benefactor properly."
Tokiya snorted and hit away her hand, "Don't get too cocky, monkey. It is your fault for not listening when it was told." Tokiya started to walk away,
"Besides, golden words are never said twice." A small smirk formed on his face as he walked out of the school building, while leaving a fuming Fuuko behind.
Fuuko stroked her temple as she saw him walk away. A headache was splitting her brains apart and it was thanks to that no-good-girlie-looking guy. 'For godsake! His hair is longer than an average girl's hair!' Fuuko snorted at the thought and then started walking towards the track team's club room.
'Calm down, Fuuko.' She shook her head and picked up her pace, "That's right. Think of it as charity done to a stray cat." She tried convincing herself, but to no use. 'Argh! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! There is no way I can be in peace till I wipe that crappy smirk off that jerks face.' She could literally picture him smirk at her, while calling her a monkey. "Argh!" Fuuko stomped her leg, gaining the passerby's attention. Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate, 'now what?' She slid her open and barked, "What?"
"Whoa! Aren't you full of energy?" Fuuko realised she had just finished screaming at her own brother, "Err, well, sorry about that." Fuuko said abruptly. 'It's entirely his fault,' She inwardly cursed the effeminate man.
Raiha chuckled, "Everything alright?"
Fuuko sweatdropped, "Yeah, why wouldn't it be? I am fine. Why did you call, bro?"
"Ah, yes, I called to ask you to buy coconut milk, curry powder and some chicken on your way back. I am planning to make coconut curry for us."
"Cool! I love coconut curry!" Fuuko chirped forgetting completely about her ordeal, "Thanks Raiha! I will get it after my practise."
"Sure" Raiha said over the phone, "Do your best. I will see you in the evening then."
"Okay." Fuuko said happily, "Bye." She kept the phone in her pocket and skipped happily towards the ground, while thinking about the yummy dinner she was going to have.
Fuuko stopped running and wiped her sweat off her forehead. She did it. She had finally beaten her previous record of 100 meters by finishing her run in 11 seconds, flat. She waited for a few seconds for the other girls to reach the finish line and then walked towards the coach.
"She did it again." Someone in the crowd whispered, "How can she run so fast?"
"She must be the fastest girl in the whole country under our category." Another spoke out.
"Yeah, she could even practise with us guys."
The coach clapped to quieten the crowd and called the entire track team. "Okay team, you guys are looking good." The coach then looked at Fuuko, "Good job, Kirisawa. I want you to practise with Hanabishi tomorrow morning." Fuuko nodded in reply.
"Hanabishi? He is the fastest guy around." A small whisper was heard.
"Quite" The coach silenced the crowd, "Okay, I will see you all tomorrow. You guys may leave."
"Yes, coach. Thank you for your hardwork." Everyone bowed and headed towards the locker room. Fuuko quickly took a shower in the girl's locker room and changed back to her school uniform. She rushed out of the school gate. 'Yosh! Don't forget the ingredients for today's dinner.'
Fuuko stepped into the groceries store next to her house and took out a cart. "Now let's see. Where is the coconut milk?" Fuuko walked around the store searching for her groceries. "AH! Curry powder," Fuuko reached out to pick the curry powder just when she saw another person, with a familiar presence, pick the same. She turned around to see who it was, "YOU!" Fuuko screamed, incredulously, while her index finger pointed at Mikagami, due to the unexpected encounter.
"Don't scream, you idiot. You will give the old lady there a heart attack." Mikagami said with a cold voice.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Fuuko said, simmering down, but, maintaining the hostility in her voice.
"Sightseeing," Mikagami said sarcastically, and walked away, making a vein pop out of Fuuko's head. 'That jerk!'
"Can't you ever be nice, fridgeboy?" Fuuko said with annoyance.
"Heh, why should I?" Mikagami said picking up another ingredient, "Now quit following me."
"I am not following you!" Fuuko said irritated, "I should be the one saying that. I am here because this is closest to my house. If I didn't know better, I say, you are stalking me."
Mikagami let out an amused laughter and turned around, "Stalk you? If I want to see your kind, I can just go to the zoo. I assure you, you all look the same, monkey." He smirked in triumph and walked towards the bill counter.
"Why you insufferable-" Fuuko was getting more and more annoyed with him. With every proceeding minute, her urge to strangle him was just growing bigger and bigger.
'What? Why does he have to go to the bill counter too? Kami-sama! Do you hate me that much?' Fuuko groaned inwardly and stood behind Tokiya, to get her items billed, while suppressing her killing aura.
"Why are you going in the same direction as me?" Fuuko finally snapped and asked Tokiya who was walking in front of her. "That's my apartments." Fuuko said, pointing at the four storied apartments.
"Are you really that dumb, monkey?" Tokiya paused in front of Fuuko's apartment and opened the gate, "It's obvious; because I live here."
"What?" Fuuko got even more irritated, 'You mean I have to see his face even after school?!'
Fuuko stood gaping at Tokiya, "Why the hell are you there?!" For some reason more than annoyance, Tokiya found this whole predicament amusing. He knew from the start that she was his neighbour. However, seeing her expression, he couldn't help but stifle his laughter. But, of course, that was in his mind. "How did you make it to the advance class with no brains, monkey? This is where I live. Of course, I will come here."
'The gods do hate me!' Fuuko was fed up. Now she would see him every morning. 'Could it get anymore worse?'
Tokiya took out his keys and opened the door.
"Hey!" Fuuko suddenly called out. Tokiya frowned slightly, "What is it now, monkey?"
"Who is that person in the photo?" Fuuko, by nature, was a curious mind and she couldn't help but ask who that kind and beautiful looking girl in the photo was. Tokiya's body stiffened, "It's none of your business." Tokiya spat coldly and slammed the door behind him.
"That jerk! What is his problem?" Fuuko said angrily and rang the bell to her house.
Tokiya was standing with his back on the door. His bangs were covering the expression on his face. He tossed the plastic bag and the keys on the table and then slowly entered his bedroom.
Flashback
"Sister! Sister!" A small seven-years-old silver haired boy ran to a beautiful brunette in her teens.
"Oh Toki-chan! Calm down what's the matter?" The brunette smiled beautifully at her adorable younger brother.
Tokiya switched on the fan in his room and lied down on his bed, with his face facing the ceiling.
"Look I got a scholarship! I stood first in my class again" The young boy was showing his prized envelope proudly to his beloved sister. He had the sweetest smile on his face.
"That's great Tokiya…" The girl took the envelope and ruffled the young boy's hair, making him laugh.
Tokiya placed his right arm on his eyes.
Suddenly the windows shattered and two men were in the house. The brunette pulled the boy by his hand and ran into the kitchen, "Tokiya quickly go and hide somewhere!" The confused boy stood next to her, frightened. "Sister, what's happening?"
The girl hid him in one of the closets, in the kitchen, so that he will be safe. She then ran towards the phone to call the police. But, before she got to the phone, she was stabbed on her back by one of the crooks.
"…" The boy was too scared and shocked to let out any noise at all.
'I cried a lot hoping she would come back to me; but no, they had taken her away from me forever and I couldn't do anything. All I did was hid behind the closet like a coward.' Tokiya bit his lower lip with his hand still over his eyes. "Sister, I am so sorry." He got up and walked to the kitchen with a mocking smile on his face.
A man suddenly barged into the room of the head of the narcotics department. "What have you done? I want my money back right now!" The man was bald and fat. He was a Caucasian middle-aged man and was wearing a very expensive tuxedo.
"Mr Wood, you do realise you're in my office. Please calm down and tell me the problem," said the man, coolly, seating behind the desk.
"You told me that I could export the cocaine without any worries. But I saw two people who, apparently, took pictures of my goods. What is even worse, they took that picture while I was trading with my clients. This is entirely your fault! They must be with the police. I will be ruined if this comes out! You have to do something, Hyuga-san!"
The man trembled as he took out a handkerchief to wipe off his sweat. The man addressed as Hyuga stood up and walked towards him. "Now, now" He placed his hands on the bald man's shoulder, "Why don't you have a seat?"
"I haven't come here to sit!" The bald man pushed Hyuga's hands off his shoulder, "I want you to fix this problem."
"I said I wouldn't interrupt your exchange. I never said that I would prevent the rest of the department from finding about it. Blame it on your clumsy ways." Hyuga stared coldly that shut the man immediately, "However, you are my valued client," Hyuga turned around and sat on his chair while indicating him to sit, "I shall help you under one condition."
The man sat down, "And what that might be?"
Hyuga leaned back, pretending to think for a minute. Propping his arm on the side of his armchair, he placed his chin on his thumb, while supporting his cheek with his index finger, "Well, thirty."
"What?" The man sprang up.
"Thirty percent," Hyuga continued, "I want thirty percent of what you make."
"That's extortion." The man slammed his fist on the table.
"Do keep your voice down and don't forget whom you are talking to." Hyuga said, as his forehead slightly furrowed, "You come to my office and talk about such sensitive information, which could compromise my position." Hyuga continued to speak in a calm and composed manner, "Yet, I am here entertaining your childish whims to help save your company from being closed down and you being thrown into jail for life. For that, I believe, I deserve some amount of compensation."
The man sat down again. He knew he couldn't say no. The man in front of him was dangerous.
"Look at it this way, Mr Woods." Hyuga lit a cigarette, "When compared to your fortune and jail, thirty percent isn't really much. And just to be fair, I assure you that the police will always stay clear of your petty underhand business."
"F-fine. As you wish." The man finally gave in, earning a satisfied smile from Hyuga. "You have made a very wise decision, Mr Woods." Hyuga got up. "Allow me to now show you your way out. I shall solve this matter, so you can go home without any worries."
A/N
Well, that was a long chapter! Please R&R