As a cry for forgiveness I have posted two chapters in one night. Enjoy heheh.

Song used was "Any Other World" by Mika. I recommend you download it/buy his CD before reading, because I basically wrote this whole chapter to that song ... and it works horribly well. Enjoy!

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911 Chapter 6
Say Goodbye to the World you Thought you Lived In ...

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The sound of a briefcase crashing on his desk woke Kyo from his slumber with a snort. He raised his head from his elbows, the creases of his sleeves temporarily printed into his cheeks as he blinked his eyes – his vision was blurry with sleep – he took a moment before looking up at Shigure. "What do you want?" he mumbled.

Shigure sighed, giving himself a moment to adjust his mood into what he wanted to convey – a father figure. And acting like a father to someone like Kyo … that would take a lot, a lot of focus. Or acting ability. "Kyo, I'm going to tell this because I'm your cousin and I love you … in that you're-family-I-have-to-love-you sort of way," he stated before sitting down on the desk. "I am worried about your mopi-ness."

Kyo stared at him like Oprah was sitting with Dr. Phil on her lap – but in reality it was the ideals of Oprah coming out of the mouth of his cousin. Different, but nonetheless equally strange. "Huh?" he intelligently asked.

"For the last two weeks you have been mopey, my friend," Shigure explained. "You have been dragging your feet, improperly completing paperwork, and basically annoying the shit out of Akito."

Kyo woke up a little more at that. "How much shit have I annoyed out of him?"

"The amount in a construction-zones outhouse after hot days work," Shigure exclaimed bluntly.

Kyo groaned at the disgusting description and leaned back, running his hands through his hair in thought. He threw a glance over at the Head Office, where Akito was talking with Yuki about something or other. He gulped, and turned back to Shigure. "Shit," he mumbled.

Shigure observed his younger cousin for a moment; his hair was a mess, possibly hadn't seen shampoo for a few days … his white shirt was wrinkled, probably had been on the floor of his room for a week and had been picked up in a desperate attempt to not show up to work naked … he had stubble on his chin … and more noticeable than anything his spirit was crushed. Sure, the first few times that he had failed the police test he was down, but that was no longer than a day. Usually by dinnertime he was in the gym kicking the crap out of a punching bag. But this time around something was very very wrong. Rather than ask him or attempt to analyze the issue Shigure simply resorted to giving a 'cheer up' kind of speech. Much less work, and probably what he would have to do in the end anyway.

"Kyo, we just want you to be yourself again," he said warmly. "You haven't even been bitching at Yuki as often."

Kyo stared off into space, thinking to himself for a moment. Yes, he hadn't been bitching as often … but that was because he had no fight left in him. In reality he thought he had lost the greatest fight of all; he lost a girl that was actually perfect for him. Yuki had gotten the girl … a girl Kyo had rarely talked to, but still felt like he knew …

Realizing he had been quiet for a while the boy cleared his throat and stretched his arms over his head, yawning. "Well, I'll work on it," he said simply.

Shigure bit his lip, wondering if he meant it. But how far could he push him? "Alright, good," he said, standing up. "Oh, by the way, you've got that written exam after lunch," he added. Kyo nodded and waved his hand to dismiss him, but Shigure didn't move. "You're not worried?"

"Dude I have those multiple choice answers memorized. ABAC, CAB, ABCCA and ABBA."

"You made words out of it?"

"Easier to remember."

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The movie let out around ten thirty that evening into lightly snowing weather. Couples huddled close, repeated their favorite lines, and laughed about random bits. One couple was fairly new at the huddling technique; Yuki had his arm around the shivering Tohru, who didn't know if she was shaking from cold or the nervousness of his arm being around her.

"So," she said shakily. "That was a good movie."

"Yes, it was," Yuki agreed. "Accept for Keanu Reeves."

Tohru glanced up at him, taken back a bit. As odd as it sounds Yuki had never made a crack about anyone, especially in the entertainment industry. Or, at least, she hadn't heard him make a crack. "What's wrong with Keanu Reeves?"

Yuki scoffed. "The man has only one facial expression. This is angry Keanu," he squinted his eyebrows together. "This is sad Keanu." He made the same face. "This is happy Keanu." He made the same face with the glimmer of a grin. Tohru laughed loudly at this, realizing the boy was right, and she got a chuckle in return. His arm squeezed her for a moment, and she stared up at the dark sky, and the snow appearing beneath the lamplights.

"Tohru, want to head down to the river?"

Tohru looked up in awe. "It's kind of cold, isn't it?"

"Freezing water always seems to have a gorgeous gleam to it, I think … " he suddenly winked. "Worthy of a painting, even. And I don't feel like going home yet."

Tohru's heart got a quick flash of guilt when she thought about the painting she was working on currently. She was so involved in the final product that not only was her friends noticing, but Yuki was to. Every once in a while he would hold her hand and pull back to see pencil soot covering his fingers. And every time he joked about her sketch she felt guilty … she wouldn't be sketching if it weren't for a certain man …

But over the last few weeks she had been training her mind to jump away from any thoughts of him. It was easier – and nicer to Yuki – that way.

"Alright, I guess we can go down for a while."

The walk to the park was quick, about five or ten minutes. The open clearing had a pathway next to the waterfront, a few benches scattered around. There was a couple passionately locking lips on one of those benches, and both members of the other party watched the two adamantly, before looking at each other and laughing nervously. They parted slightly and continued walking down the pathway … Tohru noticed all the beauty of nature around her, the same way she had noticed the beauty back on the street. The shine of melted flakes on the wet ground, the sparkle that the snow seemed to have, the way light reflected off the ground so easily that it didn't seem like night … the sky was bright. She stared around in amazement at all of it …

Yuki stopped for a moment to watch her. She must not realize half the faces she makes when she's thinking … it was adorable and awing. Tohru had the same wonder in her eyes like a child …

Earlier in the day Yuki had uploaded some pictures he took onto his computer at work from their skating trip a few days ago. She had been so clumsy that night, but that only meant he had gotten to hold her much more often than normal. And as he stared at those photos, he couldn't help but think of how happy he was. How happy he was to have decided to go meet this random girl. He had never been so infatuated with anyone before … Tohru was a gift. Who from, he did not know … but he should find out soon and send them a bottle or wine, or a keesh or something.

He walked up behind her, his boots crunching into the fresh snow, and gently he placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned to look at him, smiling … and soon noticed his eyes were moving closer. Almost before she could prepare herself, he kissed her, sweetly on the lips …

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"The river valley? In the winter?" Uo asked.

"I have to admit it's a little odd," Tohru said meekly. "But … " she suddenly sighed like a Southern Belle. "It was a good move."

Hana sighed and stirred the stick of her midnight coffee. "Yes, it may have been an idle snogging spot, but now you're shivering and sniffling," she pointed out.

Tohru shrugged, rubbing her hands together. "It was worth it."

Uo rolled her eyes. "Fine, but if you have snot dripping and you're puking tomorrow morning … I'll still welcome you with open arms."

Tohru smiled at her approval, before stretching her arms above her head and announcing she was going to her room to work on her assignment. The girls simply nodded and said goodnight; Tohru had locked herself in her room for at least an hour a day lately, since she was so close to being done. It was nerve racking how close she was … and then again when she thought about it, as she sat down at her desk in her room, she had never worried this much about a sketch in her life. Why? Even when she was preparing for her college portfolio she didn't concentrate this hard, nor was she so picky about detail.

But the answer was simple and she knew it; in case he saw it, she wanted him to be proud.

She waited for her mind to jump to a different subject … but it didn't. That only worked when Yuki was around. So she sat there, pencil in hand, drawing in front of her, and confusion in her heart.

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The next morning, after few hours of rest, she told herself to focus on being productive – there would be time for worry and paranoia later. Today was a day to focus on first, finishing the pencil sketch of her drawing, and two, doing the laundry, considering it was her turn to do it and she didn't even have anything to clean to wear. And if one can't find a pair of clean underwear how is one going to figure out the rest of her life?

So, she grabbed the stack of clothes in the corner, climbed down the stairs, and threw them into the already overflowing laundry basket. Then she pulled on a warm coat, grabbed her sketchbook and a set of pencils and set off for the Laundromat.

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Kyo dumped his garbage bag onto the floor of West Ling's Laundromat, sorting out the basics – lights, darks and underwear. The Laundromat was fairly clean for a downtown establishment. It was a long skinny room, the washing machines lining the long walls and the dryers sitting back to back in a row down the middle. Chairs were set up in the aisles between and on them Kyo sorted his clothes. He hated doing laundry but since he was on his own he didn't have a choice but to wash it himself. Part of him cursed Yuki for living in the main house and having servants and maids to take care of it for him, but he told himself that that is one of the factors that made him lazy and an asshole.

While he was at it he cursed Shigure for waking him up at the crack of dawn and demanding him to wash his clothes. He said if he had to spend another day around him smelling funky he would personally shoot him in the foot.

I know he's trying to get me motivated but I wish he would just back off, he thought as he stuffed them all into different machines and turned them on with his dozens of quarters.

And now he had nothing to do for twenty minutes. And then another thirty in the dryer. Perfect. What was one to do? He could think about how crappy his life was. He could think about the girl he lost. He could reflect on the jealousy he felt when he looked over Yuki's shoulder the other day to see pictures of the asshole and the angel skating together … but he owed it to Shigure to be productive. He looked around dully, for something entertaining, and noticed the magazine rack on the wall up at the back where the desk and dry-cleaning service was. He went up to it and picked up a People Magazine …. From 1999. He sighed, noting the boy bands and one-hit-wonders on the front cover. "Enh, nothing wrong with a trip down memory lane," he thought out loud.

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In any other world
You could tell the difference
And let it all unfurl
Into broken remnants

Smile like you mean it
And let yourself let go

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Tohru sneezed the minute she got inside the room, shivering from the cold outside. She pulled the laundry bag behind her and into the room, dumping it onto the floor on the other side of the room. She was an expert on laundry – she didn't hate chores, she actually enjoyed them. And when you're experienced you know tricks to make it faster. Having about five or six small loads only takes fifteen minutes to wash and twenty to dry. So, humming all the way, she did her business and set up the machines, before sitting down and wiping out her sketchbook.

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Cuz it's all
In the hands
Of the bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in
Take a bow
Play the part
Of a lonely, lonely heart
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in

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Crazy humming laundry people, he thought to himself, thankful for the quiet. His magazine bored him to tears and it was driving him nutty. Thankfully his machines buzzed off. He jumped up and yanked out all the soaking laundry, high-jumping his chair to stuff his things into the dryer. The sooner he got out of there the better.

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I tried to live alone
But lonely is so lonely alone
So human as I am
I had to give up my defenses
So I smiled and tried to mean it
To make myself let go

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Wow. She finished.

Pulling off her headphones, Tohru scanned the picture before her. No smudges, no blots, just perfect lines with the right expressions. She held up her book and looked at it. She needed to see it from a distance. And she suddenly noticed that her laundry was done, possibly for ages, and she had been too engrossed in her work to hear it buzz. Ah well, she thought. Not like I'm in a hurry.

She noticed no spot to put up her art on the washing machines – but the dryers were about waist-height. She turned and set the book up on top of the machines behind her, the book in a v-shape, and stepped back a bit to admire it. There was nothing wrong with it, not a bit. She felt like screaming for joy. Finally, something she could hand in and not get a mediocre mark! Something she'd be proud to hang up on the wall in her house!

Something …. that was falling over and about to hit the floor that was bound to have old Tide and Bleach stains on it.

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Cuz its all
In the hands
Of a bitter, bitter man
Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in …

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She gasped and ran forward, catching it right before it hit. She sighed in relief and stood up straight –

to see Kyo, opening the dyer on the opposite side, who had looked up at the noise.

Tohru dropped the book on her own accord now. Her breath caught in her throat. Oh my god.

Kyo gulped. Holy Shit.

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Say goodbye
To the world you thought you lived in …

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... After a long awkward silence Kyo finally cleared his throat, still staring wide-eyed at her, and said, "H-Hi."

At the sound of his voice alone Tohru's heart finally resumed normal speed – and then double-timed. Her face burned and she replied, "H-H-Hi." She could barely think. She could hardly fathom that this was happening, let alone think of anything intelligent to say, except …

"You're, you're the one who-"

"Yeah," Kyo finished for her, knowing what she would ask.

She numbly nodded. So it was him. This wasn't some daydream – this was the real thing. "And," she gulped. "And you're the one who left the note-"

"Yeah," Kyo nodded again.

She nodded back. They stared at each other in utter quiet. Not awkward silence, mind you – but more like shock and awe. This time around Tohru had more opportunity to stare into his eyes, take in his facial features and marvel at the orangeness of his hair. Kyo had the chance to take in her pretty face, the eyes that Yuki always bragged about … and the sketchbook in her hands.

Suddenly Tohru thought of something. "Uh-um," she muttered, making him jump at the break in silence. "I-I finished it."

She didn't even need to say what it was. Kyo knew. She turned the sketchbook around and presented the picture. It was a mother holding her child against her chest, smiling down into his thin hair, with the sunset behind them. Kyo smiled, taking it in and then smiling at her. "Its gorgeous."

His smile instantly warmed her heart and she couldn't help but grin. She pulled her sketchbook up to her nose to cover her mouth – even in her out-of-body experience she could tell she was grinning like an idiot. Tohru blushed. "Thank you."

Kyo stopped smiling when she covered her face. He suddenly reached out a hand and Tohru's heart jumped at his nearness.

"Don't … " he started. "Don't hide it."

A jolt of guilt hit her heart. That was almost the exact same line that Yuki had said to her once. She lowered her book but only to reveal a frowning face … one on the verge of tears.

Kyo blinked in surprise, wondering what he had done to upset her –

- and then his motherf(beepbeepBEEPbeepBeep)ing cell phone went off.

He cursed out loud and pulled it out of his pocket, flipping it open. "Yea, what?!"

"Is that how you address your chief?"

Kyo froze. Fuuuuuuuck. He cleared his throat and turned away from the girl for a moment. "Agent Kyo, speaking, sir," he mumbled.

"That's better. Now …just thought I'd let you know this is your cousin Shigure. Now imagine of that really WAS the chief – you'd be screwed right? So don't answer your phone like that again!"

He could almost hear the bastard smiling on the other side. He growled and said, "I'm hanging up on you-"

"No, don't! Kyo they moved the exam time from three this afternoon to Noon! You've got to get down here!"

He dropped the phone.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

He turned back to Tohru, who was staring at him, perplexed. He couldn't believe he was doing this … "I-I've got to go," he mumbled, pulling all of his clothes, wet or clean, out of the machines and into his laundry bag.

Tohru's eyes widened again. Leaving? But … after so long … she stared at him in silence. What if she never saw him again? What was she do to – continue dating Yuki, on the grounds that he had saved her from an intoxicated driver? … This was an answer … if she thanked him now; she wouldn't feel guilty, would she?

"U-Um! … Kyo-san?" she exclaimed as she closed up the bag. He looked up at her expectantly, bending down on one knee to pick up his fallen phone. She must've heard his name.

Tohru could feel her face burning, but she had to get it out. "I wanted to s-say … thank you!" she exclaimed. "For that day … when you – you pushed me out of harms way … " she calmed down and pulled her book up again. "Thank you," she mumbled.

Kyo stood up and … acted on instinct, like the first time he met her. He walked over to her and reached out, his hand touching hers.

There. She felt it. A jolt bigger than magic.

He pushed down gently on her hand, till the book was down from her face … and he smiled. "You're welcome," he said simply.

They stared once again into each others eyes. He didn't want to move from that spot – he could stare at her eyes for eons … until he noticed the time on his watch, on the hand holding hers. It was 11:30.

Kyo couldn't stop himself from grimacing and running to the door. He paused, feeling like he shouldn't leave her again simply by running away … but what could he do? He stared back at her, and remained silent … before running out the door.

Tohru stood frozen in the moment … before running to the door herself and opening it, watching him run down the street.

That guilt that was supposed to have left?

It was there … she felt like she had cheated on Yuki in such a horrible way, and simply doing what she originally planned to do to the officer that had naved her wasn't redemption. And when he held her hand … dear god she felt faint. So maybe this was guilt …

… or was it desire that was there all along?

She groaned and knocked her head against the door frame. Crap.

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TBC