It was morning, as Keiko's ears twitched then vanish. She felt her tail swoosh a little on her bed but it also disappeared. After that, Keiko licked her hand in a cat-like fashion and wiped her cheek. She still acted like a cat, even without the ears and tail but she looked just like any other human.
Then, Keiko woke up with a start, only to feel an arm push her back down.
"Keiko, are you awake?"
That is Tsuki... "Yes, Tsuki." She yawned groggily. Her arms were up - fingers curled with grace as if they were paws - and she grinned softly. "Tsuki, you should be sleeping on the other bed that is in the guestroom. Don't sleep with me!"
"But there isn't that much warmth as sleeping with you. Besides," He scratched her sable-hue bangs, making her purr with affection, "you are very happy when someone is sleeping with you. Only I can make you smile at night. No one else can make you feel like that."
Keiko's voice got hitched but she shook her head. There was no way that she was going to tell him that that logic had died. There was another person who would make her smile...
She rubbed her head on Tsuki's chest. "Tsuki... I feel sick. Is it that time of year already?"
Tsuki's arms enveloped around her. His cold hands seeped through the fabric, making her warmth seem foreign. It didn't seem natural for Tsuki to not have any warmth. It had to be that time. It was...
"So I was right... It is December," she mumbled.
Calmly, he laid his cheek on her head. He loved her aroma. She wasn't like some girls who had heaping amounts of perfume. She had none. Her natural scent was enough to make him go crazy. But... she was an innocent kitten. A protective guard dog like him didn't deserve her.
"Yeah... The snow is already falling with blankets. That is kinda the reason why I slept with you. Even with the heat on in this apartment, you and I get cold easily during December. It usually requires us both to be in the same bed, despite your comfort."
"I don't mind. As long as it is someone I know," she whispered quietly. "Tsuki, I want to sleep longer. Can you-"
"Yes, I will tell Ren that you won't be with us today." Tsuki glanced over and saw his angel rest her head on his chest.
Her tiny fingers danced on his torso, none were on deliberate desire. Her eyes were staring at him, but they weren't with love. Even with her blindness, she really did seem to be able to stare at someone. It was only the people she knew closely. Like a blind cat, her senses had to be alert in order to live.
But, what did this stare mean?
"Keik-"
"Tsuki? Is it okay if..."
Act 7, Scene 12
(Enter Toto, Rabenda, and Sara)
Knots entwined her attic, shocking the teens of the natural beauty that inhabited there. Thorns were the guards and flowers were hypnotists, letting their beauty calm them enough to show their deadly revelation. Flowers... they don't only serve beauty. They serve warriors and hold deep meanings.
Toto murmured, "What is all of this? Aren't you worried that the moss that is growing here will affect you downstairs? Like some kind of bacteria in the air..."
"Don't worry. I may be old but that doesn't make me less wise. I can't help but like the plants up here more than the ones outside. The horticulture is done without any pruning, which impresses me more. I let some leaks in my roof slide as it provides watering for these plants." Sara replied. She sighed.
"You sighed again! You keep sighing this whole month! Is there something wrong?" Rabenda asked.
"It is just - oh! Wait here!" She walked to the flowers and whispered a calm melody. They made a path for her, revealing a velvet box.
Tapping loudly in a gruff manner, she then slowed her pace with five small knocks. It opened, rather than being dented, and revealed overflowing cards.
"What is all of this?" Toto cried out.
"These are the cards I had from 41 to 80. I choose my favourite ones and keep them in this red box. It is said that if you do that for your whole life, the one you love will never be replaced. He will always be in your heart, even after he dies. No one can top him." Sara sighed ungratefully. "Unfortunately, the cards from 1 to 40 are missing."
"1 to... How did you get the ones you had when you were a baby?" Sara asked.
"Parents, of course. Anyway..." She shifted her glance to the two. "Can I ask you two something?"
"W-what?" Rabenda stuttered.
"Oh, never mind." She hobbled down the steps and yelled back, "Call me if something unusual happens!"
"Call me if something unusual happens? Is she crazy? Everything in this house is unusual!" Toto exclaimed, waving at the scenery to prove his point.
"Oh, well, I think she means a different type of unnaturalness." Rabenda chuckled uncomfortably. "Oh, well- hey..." Rabenda ruffled under the cards and saw a particular card that caught her eye. A card with a clock.
"Hey, the hand kinda look like a real clock's. Even the roman numbers! Are they broken off from an actual card?" Toto took the card, pinpointing a slight change in the aura that surrounded it. "Tch. The drawing is weird."
"How so?"
"Who uses paint that has been dipped in gold dust?"
This caught Rabenda's attention. She grabbed it from his hands and looked closely. In the beginning, she assumed it to be glitter, except, it seemed too fine to be glitter. It wasn't in squares or thick, weird shapes like most glitter.
"How did you-"
"I concentrate on stones, 'member? Gold is a type of rock that is said to have come from space. Do you think it has some kinda meaning on this card?"
"Only way to find out is to turn the hands..."
Gulping, Rabenda turned the hour hand backwards until it reached 12. She did the same with the minute hand and...
The card spread out into wings and its song radiated and rattled their eardrums. The constant ticking grew louder, ticking faster. After the last ring- and only then- did Rabenda and Toto open their eyes.
The flowers were gone and the leaks on the roof seemed to be repaired. The velvet box was nowhere to be seen and all that was left in the room was the card that was in Rabenda's hand.
"What happened?" Toto jittered himself to the window and saw the bare garden, seeing no massive life growing anywhere.
"I don't know, but I think-"
"No way! Rabenda, come look!"
Rabenda did as she told, soon wishing she didn't.
Outside, was Sara san.
In her 30's.
Not 80's.
"Oh! What a beautiful house this is!" Young Sara san cried out. Her hand was on the no longer creaky gate with her other hand holding a single suitcase.
Yep, they definitely went back in time.
(End of Scene)
"So, where is Keiko?" Kanae asked, as she hopped off of the set. Her hands were on her hips, not amused of not seeing the girl with Ren nor Tsuki. "Is she sleeping again?"
Contemplating, Tsuki shrugged. "Why do you care? A month knowing her and you are already using her first name."
She blushed. "I-I was just wondering, that is all. Besides, she said that I could call her by name since it seemed awkward always calling her Keiko san. And even if she didn't like to be called that, I can't call her Tsuruga san since I already call Tsuruga Ren that."
Ren chuckled. "Yeah, that is confusing with three Tsurugas around here."
"Exactly!"
"So stop getting your feather ruffled, Tsuki," Hio mumbled. "It is no big deal to drop the -san if we already know you."
"Oh ho ho. You don't know everything about me or Keiko." His knuckles cracked with uneven tempo, cracking even the joints of his neck. "But, if you say so..."
Were you almost trying to pick a fight just because he called you two by name? thought Ren.
Tsuki then rummaged into his pocket, taking out a cellphone.
"Hey, Ren. Do you know how to use this thing?"
"Don't you know how?" He sighed sharply.
"I use my Ipod to contact people. Except the voices never respond back with the right response."
"..."
"What?"
Ren had to juggle his thoughts for the right words. "I have been wondering but are both of you two from the country?"
"No, we are from the city."
"Then how are you unable to use a cell? Moreover, you thought the songs on you Ipod were people talking?"
"Yeah."
"..." My god, his replies are too short and simple. Too many mysteries are underneath. This is bad...
"By the way, to respond to why I don't know how to use a cell, it is because I keep breaking them."
"..."
"At least reply!"
"How do you break them?"
"I usually throw people's cellphones, if necessary." Tsuki crossed his arms to make an X sign. "If possible, I would like to break your stuff to relieve my stress."
"You have got be kidding me?.!" Everyone thought. What kind of person tries to break stuff on purpose to relieve their stress? Then again, who thinks of breaking their cousin's! What a sadist!
"You never do this in front of Keiko, do you?" The air around Ren dropped, shivering the Moments in Time cast. "She might wonder what kind of sounds are around her, especially something breaking."
"Oh? She doesn't think of it so highly like you. She actually is used to my temper. If I don't show it to her openly, she would be too used to the calm me. I don't want her to be too surprised in my attitude towards people." He glared at Ren, giving him the cold shoulder. "Unlike someone, who doesn't even show his true self to a certain someone..."
"What do you mean?"
"Not to Keiko. To..."
He didn't even have to finish the sentence. He was talking about Kyoko. Ren couldn't even talk about his real identity to Kyoko, afraid that she would hate him. Tsuki's words made sense. Rather than delaying the blow, afraid of the consequences, do it swiftly and have no regrets.
Tsuki's POV
*Flashback*
"Keik-"
"Tsuki? Is it okay if... if I hug you?"
I was surprised. I felt her forehead. Yep, she definitely had a fever. Was she delusional already? Except, her question is kinda cute to say no.
Then again, that would be like taking advantage over her.
"*Sigh* Keiko, you are sick so please sleep. I will be back after Ren is finished with his work."
"Just one?"
Again, another sigh. "Fine, if you insist."
My arms were wide open, allow her petite body to enter into my arms. Both of her tiny hands were on my chest, knocking me down as she was lying on top of me. Her head nuzzled roughly, as if she wasn't enjoying my touch. She wrapped her arms around my waist, but still looked troubled.
"Is something wrong?"
"I'm scared." Her face was then visible when she lifted them. "I don't want to see these "dreams" anymore. I can actually see other than the darkness."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
A tear fell, landing on my cheek. My eyes widened. She was... crying.
"NO! Why, why did it had to be now? I never had dreams before so why now!" Her crying didn't stop. She began to hiccup uncontrollably. "WHY?"
"Why are you scared then? Please tell me."
She rubbed her eyes and plomped back down on my chest. She stopped her tears and held onto me like she was holding on to her life.
"Did you remember what I said about my dream?"
"Yeah, about a boy with blond hair and blue eyes that was near a river. It was all in a forest."
"How did I know those things? How did I know what colour were his eyes and hair. How did I know where I was when I never seen them before in my life?"
Then, the room remained silent.
She continued. "Are these memories rather than dreams? Who was that boy? And why..." Her tears came back, blotching and giving her eyes a teary look. "WHY DOES THAT BOY HAVE THE SAME PRESENCE AS REN!"
Her shouts were cut short as she gasped. Her whole body tumbled loudly as she hit my chest.
"Keiko? KEIKO!" I pulled her up and saw her limp back onto her back. Her tear-stained face burnt up as she renewed more tears.
"Why does the boy and Ren make me feel safe? Why..."
I saw her fall back to sleep, as if the conversation never happened.
Except, it did.
And I soon realized that I wasn't her #1 favourite anymore.
*End of Flashback*
