Chapter Eight


Mid November comes quietly yet quickly, which doesn't surprise me one bit. The morning of our concert came and hit me over the head and I wake up to the frigid - to me, anyway - air and I pile myself in more layers before I decide to go for a morning run. Knocking on my parents' door, I quickly tell my mother my plans to which I receive an okay before I head out.

Stuffing my hands into the overly large grey sweater that I had been given to me by dad, I breathe in a bit of the cold air before reopening my eyes and beginning my jog. It is still quite early with the sun not even rising just yet, and the small neighborhood we live in is as quiet as I would expect of it so early in the morning. I decide not to go too far and decide to run around the entirety of our street up to the main street that leads towards the heart of town. Traffic is of course busy even this early in the morning and the sound of cars and trucks zipping past me is a bit comforting when I stop to just take in the scenery.

There isn't much to see, but the sight of vehicles just pasting is somehow nice to watch and it helps me calm my nerves. I haven't performed in front of an audience in what has literally been years - twelve, almost thirteen to be exact - and it is a bit nerve-wracking for me. My parents hadn't notice the nerves, but Kasuka had and he had tried in his little own ways to try and make me feel better last night. He had even stayed up to play goldfish with me, which I know he doesn't like very much.

Of course my nerves came back this morning and a morning run had seemed like a good idea then, and I'm glad that I did because I got the chance to just be alone after being crowded by everyone the past few weeks. I know they meant well, but it was a bit suffocating and I needed space. Too bad I now only got that chance.

"Are you okay?" The voice startles me out of my thoughts and I whip around to find a female staring worriedly at me. Noticing that she did scare me, she raises her hands in a placating manner. "Sorry for startling you!"

"A-ah, it's okay. I was spaced out for a bit there," I reply, shrugging my shoulders getting over the little fright.

"I see, I'm sorry for bothering you but I just thought you seemed a bit troubled." Her words has me staring at her for a while speechless which has the female once again apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry!"

The situation for some reason has me laughing a little which has the girl - she looks to be a teenager at least - pausing to stare at me now. I'm sure my amusement shows on my face, I can even feel my lips quirked up to the sides.

"Yes, I'm a bit troubled. It must have shown on my face, huh?" My response seems to be the last thing the girl thought I would say, which just makes me grin even a little. I don't even know her name, but I liked her already. "I'm performing this evening for my school's concert, and well, it's kind of my first time and I'm a bit nervous."

"Oh," Her eyes - which are a startling blue - widen as her lips form in an 'O' form. "Oh! I-I see. That must be rather nerve-wracking."

"It is," my tone is still amused but I can feel as the last of it leaves and is instead replaced with trepidation of something bad happening. I try to keep myself from such thoughts and try and focus on the girl in front of me just in time to hear her words.

"I'm getting this vibe you'll do great, though." Her eyes are closed and she has her hands held up moving in odd motions as she hums. The sight is funny and I cannot help but release another laugh. My laughter has the taller girl opening an eye to glance at me, a smile twitching at the side of her lips.

"You don't know if I can dance, though."

"I don't know," the girl agrees, folding her hands across her ample chest - it takes me awhile to look away from her low cut top and I curse myself for being distracted - nodding her head sagely. "But I still think you'll do great because of my vibes."

"Oh," I echo her earlier words, and give her a small smile. "Thank you."

"No problem!" She gives me a thumbs up and a wink, before pausing. "I never did introduce myself, did I?"

I shake my head and the girl releases a sigh, muttering under breath.

"My name's Amano Riko, nice to meet you." The girl does a deliberate bow that has me fumbling to do the same while muttering my name as well. Straightening up once again, I see her eyes seem to be unfocused for a moment before she shakes her head and gives me another smile.

"Good luck with your dance tonight, Heiwajima-san. That's my ride! Hope we meet again!" Moving to the side, I give the girl room to move on to the black car that has stopped at the curb and watch as she enters the car with a final wave to me, her blonde curls the last thing I see. Even when the car is already moving off, I can't help but stare off at it before shaking my head.

"What an odd meeting." Turning, I begin my jog back home. The sun is already up and yet it does barely anything to warm up the cold morning for me. Shoving my hands back into my pockets, my thoughts stray to the odd girl.

For some reason, I wanted to meet her again. And no, it had nothing to do with her attractive face or nice boobs. That's just my hormones talking.


Getting ready for the concert later that day is not as nerve wracking as I thought it might be. Mom is quiet throughout most of the preparations, and it surprises me that she hums while putting my hair into a high bun. Later she states she was just trying not to make me any more nervous, but I surprised her by stating that I wasn't.

It is true; I'm not as nervous as I was yesterday. I think it has something to do with my strange meeting that morning, and the strange Riko who had somehow made me get over my little nerves.

Seisen doesn't look the same when my family and I arrive, which I attribute to the fact that I am seeing the school for the first time when the place is dark. Dad mutters about mom and myself making everyone late as we are ushered into the building along with another family. A small yelp is released, but I know better than to turn around, knowing that is my mother's fault for having the unusually grumpy man let out such a sound.

"Come now, dear. No need to complain." I muffle my snicker by biting my lip, while Kasuka lets a smirk appear on his face from my side. Giving me a knowing look, the ten year old rolls his eyes but doesn't hide his own amusement.

"R-right." Dad sighs, but we are stopped by a voice calling.

"Shizuka!" Looking around, I raise an eyebrow at the sight of Shinra Kishitani in formal wear.

"You clean up well," I say as a greeting when he comes to stop in front of my parents. Moving to stand in front of them, I let a smirk come to my face as he rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"Celty picked it out for me." His chest seems to puff out and I roll my eyes. He did look good in the dark red shirt with black tie and black pants. His hair is even combed for once and the brown hair rests just above his shoulders with his bangs parted a bit above his square framed glasses.

"You didn't come by yourself did you, Shin-chan?" Mom's voice from behind me takes on a worrying tone. Shinra looks to have just now noticed the company which has me snorting in amusement.

"Izaya-san's mother dropped us off," My eyebrows furrow in confusion at the mention of Shinra's friend, but I don't see him anywhere near him.

"Izaya?" My mother says and Shinra grabs behind him before he notices that no one is there which has the boy yelling in surprise.

"Where did that guy go?" Before anything else can be said, I'm called away from my family by an anxious Higashi-sensei who mutters he was looking for me all over and goes into a little tirade of what would have happen if I didn't show up on time. My apologies fall on deaf ears due to the fact that we enter the backstage where really, I couldn't even hear my own voice.

Everyone is stumbling - teachers and students alike - and the sight is something that reminds me of what it was like to be a part of something like this. It is nostalgic even when our principal pulls us all together to show his thanks for us participating and how much he looks forward to seeing us perform. Standing and listening in on his little speech is Tom in all black and I sidle up next to him and make our shoulders touch.

He glances my way and blinks upon recognizing me and gives a small smile before looking back to the front. I don't spot Akira anywhere and just write it off for her being too short to spot, and promise myself to look for her later.

When Tamaki-sensei finally finishes and wishes us all good luck, everyone begins to disperse and prepare for the show. Letting out a breath, I turn to Tom and raise an eyebrow while folding my arms across my chest.

"What?" The teen asks looking a bit wary from the gaze I am giving him and make my eyes give him an once over as emphasis, which has Tom taking a step back.

"You didn't even try to add some color to this outfit." Comes my answer while I take in the plain black pants and t-shirt he wears. His hair is loose for once and the locks reach just to his shoulders and I refrain from getting my hands into his head.

"I'm just doing backstage stuff, you know." His voice holds amusement and I roll my eyes.

"So? You can still try, you know."

"Next time, promise."

We don't get to talk much longer as the thirteen year old is called to help out with the rest of students for the first act, and I still needed to warm up.

Shrugging off my new coat, my hands automatically move to smooth down the front of the white dress. My mother and I had gone hunting for dancing-inspired dresses and when we had found the asymmetrical matte clothing, we quickly bought it without delay. The jersey material really is comfortable and staring at myself before I had left the home, I could see a little of my old self in my appearance.

"Heiwajima?" Hisako-sensei's deep, yet feminine voice snaps me out of my thoughts to find the tall female looking my way. "You're up, dear."

Giving her nod, I take a deep breath before releasing it. "Show time."


On September 10th, 1998, Namiko and Kichirou Heiwajima carried their two children to their first ever movie. Back then, it wasn't a big deal to Kasuka seeing as he just thought it was another way they can spend more time together - to 'bond' as their mother had put it. Not that Kasuke didn't love his family - he does. Very much - but he wasn't very excited about the movie.

The same could be said about his older sister. That is until she found out what movie it was. For some reason, the thought of watching the American animated film had made his sister very excited. It was a nice enough film, but Kasuka still doesn't understand what the big deal it was for his sister.

When he found out she was going to dance to one of the songs from the film, he once again questioned what was so special about it. Is it because it was American? Did she like America that much? Or was it just because it was a Disney film, because over the next year she was found hoarding the company's films in her room that she bought with her allowance money.

Kasuka guesses he shouldn't think too much about it, and just label it as one of his sister's many quirks.

As Kasuka sits beside his mother who holds a cam recorder up just as the host of the host of the little concert calls for the next act that just happens to be his sister, he releases a sigh over the anxiety that is radiating off of his mother.

"Is something wrong?" Looking beside him, he finds Shinra's friend giving him a worried look. Kasuka doesn't know what to think of Izaya Orihara other than the fact he was a bit of a quiet person - and that's something coming from him who is known for his quietness - and he reminds him a bit of his sister. They both have this aura about them - he couldn't quite describe it - that made them feel even more knowledgeable than they let on.

"Just cover your ears after Nee-san finishes, Kaa-san is known to be very loud when she wants to be." He can hear his father snorts from the seat over his mother, but he doesn't think his mother heard either of them.

"I see. I'll keep that in mind," Izaya is amused when he looks away, and Kasuka quirks his lip. He guesses that maybe Izaya isn't that bad, and he thinks that he might actually like him.

"Go Shizu-chan!" Shinra's voice erupts alongside his mother's and Kasuka rolls his eyes before looking back to the stage that has now gone dark but he still make out his sister by the dim spotlight pointed at her courtesy of one of the backstage helpers.

'Once upon a December' reminds Kasuka of a lullaby with a bit of a chill added to it. He's a bit disappointed that his sister had went with the Japanese version, as he personally liked the English even though he couldn't understand some of the words being said. He wasn't as well versed in the language like his sister, but he understands why she would've chosen the Japanese version.

Soon his sister is moving, the spotlight following her across the stage. Shizuka truly is a different person when dancing. He has the opportunity of noticing this on many occasions when she was practicing in the privacy of their small backyard.

Her face smooth and no longer having that heavy frown that always made Kasuka think that she was always in her head, her posture straight and poised rather than the slouch she usually walks about in. Her steps are light and precise, yet he cannot see any calculating in it. It looks so natural as if she does this all the time. The twirls she makes are mesmerizing with how her skirt flares with it.

Kasuka understands why his mother and Shizuka had been so adamant about a dress like the one she wears.

"Beautiful." Izaya's comment has Kasuka looking away to find the older boy is staring with rapt attention, as if he couldn't look away.

Looking back, Kasuka couldn't help but agree.

"Yeah," his voice sounds so soft to his ears that he wonders if the other boy heard. "Beautiful."

"Watashi no koto wo."


I'm hoping everyone would recognize what movie is talked about there (*whispers* Anastasia...)

There is actually a Japanese version of 'Once Upon a December' done by Suzuki Honoka (or so wiki says) and it is really good. The movie was actually released in Japan on the 5th of September 1998, I just chose for them to see it a little later.

Do tell me what you think of this chapter~! Either through reviews, Pm or Tumblr (retardsareadorable, for those who don't know) or if you just want to ask just about anything. I'll be glad to answer them ^_^

Until next time~