Author's Note: Well I am back in action once again. I have had Learning to Cope on my mind for the last few weeks. This chapter is more of a way to understand a little more of what is going to be happening. I hope that you enjoy it, this chapter got pre approval from my friend bluetreeleaves so I'm confident on posting this. Please read and review.


Chapter Six: Reflections on Past and Present

Shock was the only thing that he was able to feel. It had only been a year since the last time that they had met but the changes were more than evident. She wasn't just different physically; he could see that there was more to it than just that. The way she carried herself right now wasn't the same. If only she would tell him what had happened to make her become this, maybe soon she would feel comfortable again. Fortunately even with all that she had done to herself he was still able to tell that it was her. Some of his friends had a clue but they didn't want to say it until he had confirmed it. However his new friends weren't so lucky.

Millerna, Dryden, Allen and Yukari had not come into Van's life until his sophomore year of high school. That was when his family and the Albatou twins had moved back to Adom and transferred to Gaea High. Yukari and Millerna were always trying to find out more about what he and his friends used to do before transferring. There was an appeal to them that drew the two girls to them. Van knew that Yukari had quickly developed a major crush on him and thought herself to be in love with him. Unfortunately for Yukari, Van already thought of himself as spoken for; even though he had never actually admitted it out loud.

Yukari's condescending attitude towards Akina did nothing today but irritate him. The girl's whole locker was decorated in nothing but Abaharaki memorabilia and photos and yet she was completely blind to the people that were the closest to her. The irony of it made the raven haired teen want to laugh. Naria Saneira had always told them that a simple face piece that masked their eyes would be enough. He always doubted her but their manager knew what she was talking about. Either that or Yukari wasn't as much of an Abaharaki fanatic as she claimed.

Raven hair fell in front of garnet eyes as he bowed his head in emotional exhaustion. Folken had brought him and their cousin Merle home after the older Fanel had offered to give Akina a ride home to the Uchidas. Knowing her, she didn't tell her foster family that she had scored detention on the first day of school. Van missed the days when they could all be open and honest with each other. Akina was picking and choosing what she allowed him to see and know about her. As long as it didn't reveal anything about the last year she was open. He was half tempted to call Naria and get an explanation out of the silver haired twin but he knew before even trying that it would be in vain to do so. Naria told them all before they moved to Adom together that they would know when the time was right to make a reappearance, but that was all dependent on when Emerald recovered.

Akina had family still, why she wasn't with them was what bothered Van. She should have stayed to take care of her younger brother. He was just a little kid and he was already going through so much. Before the "Great Split" as Merle had decided to call it, arrangements had been made for the boy to stay at Adom General Hospital. That was honestly why they had all moved to Adom; Van's parents loved the little boy and made sure to go see him at least five days out of the week. Dilandau and Celena had convinced their mother to let them move to Adom as well. Adrianna Albatou loved her twins and willingly packed them up and moved to Adom with the rest of the close knit friends.

Naria Saneira had promised them that before they actually started packing that she would make sure to have three houses ready for the Albatous, Ganeshas and Fanels. That was what also made her such an efficient manager; she always knew what they needed. In truth she became more of a family member than just a manager. The Abaharaki had formed when they were all barely thirteen and fourteen years old and Naria had been there with them every step of the way. She made sure that they were still able to be teenagers.

Tilting his head up Van's gaze met the beautiful wood framed photograph on his wall. That day the photographer had been trying to get a serious portrait out of them but they were kids, they just wanted to have fun. It wasn't the photo that the man had wanted but they all loved it. Merle had climbed her way onto Folken's shoulders and scared herself when she realized how high off the ground she was; Folken was frantically trying to keep her from clawing at him in her attempt to save herself. The twins were looking at each other from the corners of their eyes; it wasn't a secret that they were going to do something that would get them in trouble. What Van loved the most about the photo was the two teens that were in the front. Right before the flash of the camera had gone off he had managed to scoop the emerald eyed Abaharaki singer right off her feet.

That was the last time that he ever saw her smile again; she was gone from his life shortly after that.


Author's Note: Trying to build things up and give more of a history to the characters and what's going on. Let me know what you think through a review please :)