Hello, hello, hello. I'm sorry for saying I'd be back after the 20th, but I felt that I was neglecting one of my other stories and HAD to update it. But now, I'm here again, with another instalment.

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Chapter 6 – Mixed Reactions

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John walked confidently through the doors to the bustling canteen, leading Rei towards the food hatches. They both received a tray of dubious edibility, before John headed straight for an occupied table.

"Hi guys," he greeted as they got closer. "Shove up and make space, today we've got n extra. This is Rei, he's new."

As the boys at the table obediently shifted up to make space, Rei noticed that there were some decidedly mixed reactions to his presence. Some looked at him with respect, others with open-mouthed wonder, whilst some kept their eyes on their plates. None dared speak. Thankfully, John didn't seem to mind.

"Forgive me for being so blunt," began John, pointing at him with a fork laden with noodles, "but the first thing that struck me about you was how long your hair is! Doesn't it get in your way?"

Rei looked down at the table, fighting the blush that was threatening to creep up onto his cheeks. The truth was, he never wore his hair down like this. He never liked the looks he was given when he did. In fact, the only person outside his village who had seen him with it down was…Kai…

The little voice in John's head sensed Rei's awkwardness and told him to backtrack fast. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or anything. It's just-"

"No! You didn't offend me. I normally tie it up."

John's eyebrows came together in a frown. "You shouldn't. It's a distinguishing feature; it summarises everything we know about you already and everything we don't. It makes you mysterious. And, Mr Mysterious, we want to know a little bit about you."

"Like what?"

"Like where you were born, where you were picked up, how old you are, that kind of thing."

"Well…" Rei thought for a moment. "I was born in China, picked up in Moscow, sixteen years old, um…"

"Chinese?" interrupted John. "We've seen a couple of Chinese people here, but none of them look like you. You've got some psychedelic eyes there."

"I'm part of an uncharted race – neko-jins. We have feline traits like the eyes and fangs."

A swift glance along the table showed dozens of wide eyes. John merely looked interested.

"I bet you're really agile," he said, leaning forward in his seat. "Do you always land on your feet too?"

Rei laughed. "I like people to think that, but reality tends to complicate matters."

"A good answer," replied John, starting on his chocolate mousse. "I like people who are truthful, even when the truth doesn't put them in good light. Aren't you going to eat your sticky toffee pudding?"

"I don't like sweet things."

John reeled back as if Rei had shot him. "Not like sweet things? How? Why? Are you out of your mind?"

"No, I'd rather have that spring roll you've left on your plate."

John threw it to him. "Knock yourself out. I hate the things, personally. Can I have your pudding, then?"

"Ditto."

He had barely started on his pudding before a bell rang, and everyone began to move. He pulled Rei out of his seat and hurried to the exit, elbowing protesting people out of the way.

"We've got to be quick, I'm meant to drop you off at lab seven before I get to my music class, and that's twenty-four floors away!"

"Why don't I go on my own so you're not late?" asked Rei, dodging around a clump of much younger boys.

"You sure?" John looked torn between doing what he was supposed to and avoiding punishment for lateness.

"Yeah, you go on. Which floor?" Rei felt like smiling just from the look of relief that washed across John's face.

"Floor forty-six. It's the lab on the left – the one with the big seven on it."

John was borne away by ever-moving crowd, but Rei stood and watched his waving hand until it disappeared. He fought his way through the crowd to the stairs and was immediately caught up in the throng going up. Thankfully they all branched off within three floors, leaving Rei to bound up the stairs seven at a time, the silence allowing him to finally think clearly about certain thoughts he'd been having about John all through lunch.

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The end…for now, at least. OH! Random Thought: John was originally a temporary name I gave him because I couldn't think of a better one, but now I think that it suits him. What do you think? Give him a cooler name, or stay as fluffy, lovely John?

I love all my reviewers because this week they are…Mine. Just mine.