At the end of the last chapter, I said Friday. But I meant Thursday. lol. Kimini and co. at school on THURSDAY and Kimini gets back to her house on THURSDAY. Anyway, thanks for the reviews everyone. And now an update.


Chapter 9

Kimini made her way down the hall alongside Tohru and Kyo at school the next day. The day had only just begun and Kimini already wanted to go home. She couldn't take the people watching her as she went by as if she were some alien. Kimini hung her head, allowing her wavy blonde hair to fall into her face.

"I don't like this..." She mumbled.

"Kimi-kun, it's alright." Tohru put a hand on her back, "They've never seen you like this, so of course they're going to stare at you. You look amazing."

Kimini let out a sigh and briefly looked up again, only to have her eyes meet with a dark-haired boy passing by. His skin had an olive tone and his eyes were a deep gray color. Locks of dark black hair fell around his face. He stopped, looking Kimini over and smiling.

"Hi." He said.

Kimini just nodded.

"I don't think I've seen you before." The boy said and stood in front of her, stretching out his hand, "I'm Ryo. Shijima Ryo."

Kimini looked at the boy directly after hearing his name. He was familiar to her. Somehow.

"Shijima...Ryo..." She repeated softly, "You're in my chemistry class. With Yukisho-sensei."

Ryo blinked a few times, then nodded, "I am...but how did you know that? Aren't you new?"

Kimini shook her head, "No. I'm not. I'm Kimini. Onizuka Kimini."

"Oh!" Ryo laughed a little and shook his head, making his hair sway back and forth like wind-shield wipers, "Kimini. I know you. You're that girl who picked the cat for the Zodiac paper."

Kimini blushed a little, "That's right."

"I think it's cool that you picked the cat." He said with a soft smile, "It's very...different. I like that."

Tohru couldn't contain the happiness she was feeling at Kimini being noticed. A toothy grin spread over her face and she clapped her hands together, almost letting out a squeal. Kyo's reaction, however, was not so, for lack of a better word, happy. In fact, he wasn't to comfortable with the guy. He gave off a strange vibe that made Kyo uneasy. Letting out an annoyed sigh, he clapped a hand on Kimini's shoulder, drawing her attention away from Ryo.

"We've got class, Kimini."

Kimini nodded, "Right. Yeah." She turned back to Ryo, "Bye."

"Before you go, Kimini." Ryo shoved his hands into his pockets, "You wanna sit with me at lunch...maybe?"

"I was gonna--"

"Go ahead, Kimini." Tohru said excitedly and shook her by the arm, "You can sit with him today. Go on!"

Kimini smiled a little, almost laughing, "Okay. I will then."

"Alright. See you then."

And Ryo walked away. Tohru smiled and squeezed Kimini's arm.

"Gosh, Kimini, that's fantastic!" Tohru said, her voice unusally high-pitched, "We've only been here for a little while and you've been asked out already. I can't wait to see how the rest of the day goes."

"But he only noticed me because I looked different." Kimini said and started walking with the two of them, "Isn't that a bit...I don't know...shallow, maybe? He knew who I was when I said my name. If he were really interested, then wouldn't he have said something sooner?"

Tohru smiled a little, "You're no different from before, Kimi-kun. You just had your face done up and your hair looks a little different. It helped show how beautiful you really are. He noticed you because your normal Kimini features just stand out a bit more. Does that make sense?"

Kimini nodded slightly, "Yeah...I guess. It does. Alright."

"Tsch." Kyo said, shoving his hands into his pockets, "That guy doesn't sit right with me."

"What do you mean?" Kimini questioned.

"He's just...I dunno...seems like he's got some really bit secret about him. Somethin' bad."

Kimini's face fell, "Really...?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it to much, Kimini. Or you Kyo." Tohru said, linking arms with Kimini, "I'm sure he's fine. Let's just get to class."


Ring...Ring...Ring..."Hello?"

"You were right. Onizuka Kimini. She was hanging around Kyo and that Honda girl."

"I see...Well...you'll be my eyes and keep a good watch on her, right?"

"But of course. That's my job."

"Good. Very Good. And do it well."

"Of course, sir."


The library is almost always dead silent during freetime. Everyone usually goes outside or hangs around in the classrooms. But the few dedicated bookworms, like Kimini, spent thier time in the library. At a table near the Literature section, Kimini sat skimming through one of the zodiac books Hatori lent to her. She was reading a section on the personality traits of the cat.

"'With the cat not being part of the actual Zodiac, it's difficult to pin down specific traits on the Cat.'" She mumurred, "'There are a few particular traits, however, that can be certain. Temper, sometimes exhibiting hyperactivity and drive. The Cat is often said to be similar to the Tiger in the sense that they're both restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, and at times selfish. But these musings are simply observations of those who have...'" Kimini stopped for a moment, her eyes widening with surprise as she read the last few words, "'known and or interacted with those born of the Cat.'"

Kimini put the book down and fingered the pages a bit, "There's actually...people born of the Cat? But..that's not possible. There's no year of the cat..."

Footsteps reached Kimini's ears and she quickly looked up. Kyo walked up to the table and dropped his bag onto the table.

"Whatcha' readin'?" He questioned.

"A book that Hatori gave me." Kimini questioned and sat up straighter, "I was looking at the passages about the Cat."

Kyo cleared his throat, "Oh...w-what's it say?"

"Uhh..." She glanced down at the book, "It says that the Cat is supposedly like the Tiger personality wise. It says 'Reckless, restless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate and sometimes selfish.' But it's strange because it also said 'These musings are simply observations of those who have known or interacted with those born of the Cat'" Kimini looked up at Kyo, "But no one was born into the year of the Cat because there is no year of the Cat."

Kyo tensed up, a surge of anger over-coming him, but it was allieviated, again, by the fact that it was Kimini and she didn't know the truth. Plus her interest and passion for the Cat hit Kyo somehow in a way that calmed him.

Hatori should have checked the books he brought over...

"Well...they're just rumors, I mean...no one really knows." Kyo said, shrugging slightly.

"Yeah." Kimini shut the book, "But you know, now that I've read this, I think I can figure out what your zodiac animal is."

Kyo heart jumped to his throat, "Uh..w-what?"

Kimini smiled a little and stood up, picking up her book and slinging it over her shoulder, "I think you're the Tiger. I never realized it, but you have a lot of the Tiger's traits. Unpredictable, rebellious, passionate, impulsive. And not to mention restless, impatient, quick-tempered, obsti--"

"I get it!" Kyo said loudly, making Kimini jump slightly, "I-I mean..yeah...Tiger."

"So you are!" Kimini beamed, "Yes! I finally figured it out. Ahh...I'm so proud of myself."

Kyo couldn't help but smile a little, seeing her so extremely happy. Such a change from her norma, meloncholy self. So what if she was wrong? It's not like she could ever know what Kyo really was.

The cat...the monster of the zodiac...


Fin. Enjoy it? I did. lol. But, then again, I wrote it. ha. ANYWAY, Reviews are love, critique is welcome, and flamers will be sent to thier fiery graves.