The Art of Seduction by lionetspirit
Chapter 9: A Future Guardian's Declaration
The ceiling of the reception hall arched high above the heads of the University Scholars and their respective sophomore Guardians. Except for the Sophomore Ace and Queen, each of the Guardians was present and assigned to an honors student as a mentor.
Nagihiko, the King's Chair, was assigned to mentor the #1 ranked student, but since the university had deducted points from Amu for her outburst on orientation day, the lineup had been shifted, thus demoting her two places down: below Tadase Hotori, followed by Rima Mashiro.
Tadase Hotori was thus assigned to Nagihiko and Rima Mashiro to the Queen's chair.
Although this was all very interesting and although Amu was sincerely grateful to have Kukai, a familiar face, as a mentor, she could not remove her cheek from the tabletop of which it was pasted against.
She attempted to listen to Nagihiko's words to the best of her ability, but found her thoughts straying towards a certain supposed "boyfriend."
"Amu Hinamori!" Nagihiko maintained the formality. "Please pay attention. If any of these rules are broken, you may face the possibility of suspension."
"Really," the human doll stuck her nose in the air, "the manners these Americans are taught. Seiyo University should remain strictly Japanese."
Amu didn't even find the energy to put on her Cool-and-Spicy act.
It wasn't until the Queen Chair stepped in that Amu found it more interesting to keep her head up.
She walked in with shimmering indigo hair flowing gently down her back as she gracefully floated in. The scent of jasmine wafted into the room.
Amu's topaz eyes broadened at the traditional Japanese beauty, not just for her elegance, but rather for her identically colored hair, identically colored chocolate brown eyes, and her identically shaped face as the King's chair.
She bowed and smiled, warming up Amu as she did so. She had the same charm as Nagihiko. Amu stared dumbly between the King and Queen's chair with her jaw hung open.
"Nadeshiko Fujisaki, Queen's Chair. I apologize for the tardiness, but it had taken some time for the cookies to bake."
"Na-Na-Na…" Amu stuttered, trying to decide whether to call her Nadeshiko or Nagihiko.
"Nadeshiko is my twin sister." Nagihiko sighed. "She had been busy this week with traditional Japanese performances, so she was unable to attend the orientation."
"Pleased to meet you" She bowed again, her hair cascading at the sides of her face as she lowered her head. She opened the straw weaved basket filled with cookies and a delicious aroma mixed with the jasmine scent. "I hope you'll enjoy these," she said before passing them around.
The maroon armchair softly scratched the floor as Nadeshiko pulled it out. Amu watched as she settled in the chair facing Rima, feeling just a bit envious.
She could not help but stare. It was the image of Nagihiko with long hair that she tried so hard to imagine and it was as beautiful as she suspected it would be.
"As I was saying," Nagihiko cleared his throat. "The most essential rule about this Academy is that students are prohibited from leaving the campus for the school year."
Amu raised her head. Tadase and Rima stared at the King.
"There are various reasons for this, but essentially, it is for your own safety." Nagihiko turned to his twin sister and nodded for her to explain. Despite sitting at the same table as the new students, the Guardians still maintained an air of authority.
"Seiyo is world-renown and aside for University Scholars, tuition can only be afforded by some of the wealthiest and brightest. Therefore, for a Seiyo student to wander out in public would be extremely risky, since we are prime ransoming targets."
"What?!'" Amu nearly screeched, color finally going back to her cheeks. She had never heard about this absurd policy before entering the school or of the absurd danger. How would she see the three sisters? Ran, Miki and Suu had followed her to Japan. It was too cruel to be jailed in the campus forever.
When Amu realized that everyone's attention had turned to her for her outburst, she forced the muscles of her face to loosen from the shock and reverted to her bored expression. "And what if we break that rule?" She remarked coolly.
Immediately, both Kukai and Nagihiko spun to meet her gaze.
Kukai suddenly coughed, then turned to Nagihiko. Nagihiko simply shook his head.
"Then you risk suspension." Nadeshiko stated while smiling sweetly. She held out the basket of cookies. Amu shuddered slightly, sensing hidden danger behind the girl's elegance.
But more so than Nadeshiko's masked fierceness, Amu shivered at the four words. Suspension? How many times did she risk getting suspended before classes even officially started? She was living outside of campus. Did the school know about that?
Kukai's tense shoulders slackened before he turned back to the rosette. "There are exceptions of course."
Amu relaxed, but immediately turned rigid again.
"For Guardians of course. Well, considering that combined, the Guardians have almost the same amount of power as the principal." Kukai winked.
'For Guardians.' The words echoed ominously in Amu's mind. "Ran, Miki, Suu…" She whispered, eyes downcast.
She could not block out the image of Ami in tears. Ami, who was old enough to be in middle school now, had still looked like her baby sister when she dug her head against Amu, revealing only the shaking pigtails of light hazelnut hair.
Ami had cried so hard that even Amu's entire body trembled from Ami's tight hug. It was only until the three sisters promised Ami, each with their own pinky swears that they would take care of Amu in Ami's place, that Ami finally pulled away from the hug. Her parents placed their trust in them and allowed Amu to study so far away because of them.
Amu sighed, recalling how her dad blabbered to the three girls, shaking each of their hands and saying "Please take care of my little girl" as if she was being married off.
The pink strands of Amu's hair flew messily around her face as she shook her head. It wouldn't do any good to think of the past. She had to focus on the present and future. That's what she came here to do wasn't it?
She attempted to bring her attention back to the conversation, but found her mind wandering back and forth.
"So Guardians have enough authority to be exempt from the same rules that everyone else has to follow?" Tadase said, eyes suddenly gleaming. "They have that much power?" His voice nearly cracked at the end of the question.
"In a sense," Nagihiko nervously smiled. "But even the Guardians can't wander around in public freely without doing something in exchange."
"We are only allowed out of the school gates for internships or jobs and even then, we can't go alone. We have to travel with at least one other Guardian." Kukai further explained.
A light 'hmph!' could be heard from the direction of the petite blonde freshman.
"Well, it's a great opportunity to make friends." Nadeshiko smiled at Rima. "You may even discover your best friend like this." She sent a sidelong glance at Nagihiko and Kukai.
"Plus," Kukai said while looking at Rima who had her arms crossed and eyes closed. "None of this is any of your concern. Unless you become a Guardian, you won't even be leaving the campus."
"Now," Nagihiko rested a hand on Kukai's left shoulder, trying to stop him from further goading the arrogant new student. "A Guardian is allowed to leave the campus without a fellow student, but he or she would be sent out with assigned teachers or guards."
Meanwhile, Tadase remained at the center of the table, sitting across from Nagihiko. Though he had remained quiet from the conversation, his presence was overwhelming.
Amu's attention found its way to the very conspicuous Tadase. Although she had been wandering in and out of daydreams and memories, she leaned slightly left to distance herself from the immense intensity of the aura the princely Tadase was emitting. It was as if his entire body was on fire. His eyes blazed with ambition and his body seemed to be trembling from excitement. Rima sat on his right and leaning back with her arms and legs crossed and eyes closed, Amu could not be certain whether Rima was oblivious to the incredible fire, or whether she was just ignoring it.
"And that is why most students aspire to become Guardians." Nadeshiko stood up.
Amu looked at her. Aspire to become Guardians. It was that simple. She listened attentively.
Walking around the table, Nadeshiko pressed a hand against Tadase's head and gently kept him from jumping up. "See, the Guardians don't exactly have the same kind of authority as the principal, or dean, or chancellor. And unlike those paid and hired school officials, we're elected by students. There are Guardians for each year. We're the student body representatives and we can be voted out of office at any time."
Kukai sighed. "Honestly, it feels like it's not even worth all the trouble sometimes. The Guardians have a mountain of work to take care of too. Organizing events, voting on school rules, suspensions, counting Guardian votes for other grades and a bunch of paperwork."
"It doesn't matter!" Tadase slammed his palms against the tabletop, eyes glimmering like big bright stars. "I am going to become a Guardian! The King's chair. And one day, I'll become the King of this school!" He rested his hands against his hips and bellowed a hearty laugh.
Besides his laughter, the room remained silent. The three sophomore Guardians stared with pallid faces, struck completely paralyzed by his sudden declaration. Amu watched in horror. That prince that she had seen before would surely make a good king right? He belonged to royalty, yet at this moment, he looked more like a maniac.
A maniac addicted to power.
Her eyes widened. If a maniac addicted to power could do it…
"So you're saying," Rima tapped a finger against the side of her crossed arms. "That you guys can do whatever you want that other people can't? You can change to school to your liking?"
"Well, no, not really." Nagihiko raised his arms in front of him and waved them, defenseless. "That- that's not quite what we were trying to say."
Kukai slapped a hand against his forehead and Nadeshiko shook her head.
"Then! I've decided!"
Amu's fingers gripped the side of her chair, away from everyone's gaze.
"For that absolute authority. So that I can live easily and have others serve me willingly." Rima flipped her hair and smiled. "I too, will become a Guardian."
Another moment of silence passed. Amu's fingernails dug against the underside of her seat. Her arms were straight and her head, down.
Tadase had entered his own daydream and remained standing at the center of the table, across from a Nagihiko whose face was as pale as Nadeshiko's and Kukai's. The guardians stared at Rima with equal horror. "I fear," Nagihiko struggled with his words.
"For the freshman class." Nadeshiko finished his sentence. Kukai nodded violently, unable to find his voice.
"I..." Only her pink hair could be seen. Amu's bangs covered her face, but the one word caused everyone to turn to her. She looked up, sharp golden eyes shining with fierce determination.
Taken back by her sudden glare, Kukai eyes widened, cheeks turning a warm carnation pink. Nagihiko's eyes softened and the corners of his lips rose in a kind smile. Amu turned to meet Nagihiko's gaze, then turned to Nadeshiko who nodded and smiled widely.
Amu's fingers gripped the handle of her bag. She pushed aside her chair then flipped her briefcase bag against her shoulder. Turning to her right, she stated, "For…for those reasons!" Her right hand tightened against the bag. "Unbelievable."
Then shoving her chair to the side, she walked away. The corner of her bag abruptly knocked into Tadase. She leaned back slightly and turned only her head to look back. Her eyes were narrowed at Tadase and then Rima, even though she addressed the sophomores. "When's the freshman elections for Guardians?"
"I believe it's in two weeks, Amu-chan." Nadeshiko spoke with a grin, while the other two Guardians continued to stare.
"Well then, the next time I see you guys will be in office. When we're all guardians, that is." Amu faced straight at the exit, feeling the stares of everyone in the room on her back. "Tch. That's if either of you guys can make it."
With the final flick of her hair, Amu walked out.
The sophomore Guardians smiled as they watched the silenced freshmen. Tadase had finally settled into his chair with an immense blush on his face and his head down. Rima remained in exactly the same position, her eyes closed and arms crossed.
"That is Amu Hinamori." Rima stated with certainty.
Looking up at the door, Tadase spoke. "She'd make an interesting Queen."
Rima shrugged to show disinterest, but she opened her eyes slightly to peek out. "Sorry future King, but that position will be mine." Her hand tightened into a fist. "I won't lose to her."
Nagihiko sighed inwardly. "Trouble magnet," he muttered under his breath. Kukai nodded.
"That's all for today." Nagihiko announced. "Your assigned guardians will be your mentors. We are here to guide you and help you with any problems. Keep close to us for the next two weeks. After that, you're on your own. Meeting adjourned." He concluded with a small shiver as he stole a glance at the now reserved Tadase who constantly bowed in apology for his outburst.
When he looked at the blonde girl sitting with her chin up in the air, he could not help but feel luckier than Nadeshiko.
After seeing the tense muscles of his sister in her fake smile, the image of dark purple hair, a pair small hands and the gleam from the blade of a Naginata appeared in his mind. He decided it wasn't Nadeshiko he pitied, but Rima who was going to be in for more than she bargained for.
A mild breeze swept through the Seiyo courtyard. Amu leaned her head back against her bench and looked up at the building that stood behind her. It was tall and majestic, built almost like a castle. The clock tower was at the center of the Academy. At its top, the brass bell rang every hour.
The columns and arches, the large French windows and the woods that stretched across acres of campus only made Amu feel out of place.
Everything was so beautiful. So comfortable. So sunny.
She shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand and sighed. This really was the school for aristocrats. She didn't belong here. She was a city girl who was used to minding her own business. A normal city girl who wasn't rich or very poor. She was smack in the middle. Average.
What was she doing here, among the rich and beautiful in a country half the world away from her family? People like Hotori, Nadeshiko and Nagihiko belonged here. Mashiro, the modern day princess, too. In fact, everyone she had met at Seiyo. Even Ikuto.
Especially Ikuto.
She closed her eyes and remembering his presumptuous actions and arrogant ways, the muscles on her forehead tightened.
But those were the kinds of people who belonged at Seiyo. The ones with enough money, influence and looks to become as self-assured as that jerk. Maybe she wasn't in the position to put him back in place.
"Argg!" She screamed, eyes scrunched closed as her body slacked against the bench. She didn't think she had done anything wrong but she couldn't forget that expression. He was so defenseless, so sad. So lonely.
She hopped upright and violently scratched her fingers through her hair. "What the heck!" Why the heck should I be feeling guilty?
That little girl who once stood at the front of a filled classroom, so nervous that she ended up glaring at the entire class because she was thinking so hard about what to say, was her. When the other girls had talked excitedly about going shopping afterschool, she could only stand by. She wanted to go, but they thought it wasn't her style.
And then, Miki had pulled her by the wrist out of her house all the way to the mall where Amu had so much fun, she couldn't remember why they had gone in the first place.
Amu flopped forward, hair falling over her face and her black and red striped scarf unraveling at the motion. She pulled her legs up onto the seat, the leather boots creasing at the ankle. Her arms wrapped around the skirt over her bare legs until she curled into a ball.
If she wasn't allowed to leave the campus, she'd lose Ran, Miki, and Suu. She'd be lonely.
Like Ikuto.
She hugged her legs more tightly.
"I wonder how he is…" she muttered, raising her head to peek past her knees. The path ahead of her was strewn with autumn leaves and lined with similar wooden benches. The trees above arched over the path, creating the image of an outdoor hallway.
She brushed her index finger over her lips. Realizing her actions, her eyes grew wide and her cheeks reddened.
An instant later, her eyebrows angled downwards, she scrunched her nose and she clasped her right hand so tightly in a fist that her knuckles were becoming white.
"As much fun as it is to watch your face change so many times, I thought you might need this."
Amu turned to face the speaker, but was slapped in the face with the plastic enclosed school uniform.
"Kukai!" She spluttered.
"You ran out so early, you didn't pick up your school uniform on your way out."
"Oh," She murmured, looking away. "Thanks."
He settled in the seat beside her, leaning back against his arms as he stared into the sky. "I know it's hard to get used to. It's probably the only reason I became a Guardian."
"I'm jealous you can say that so easily." Amu stared at her feet.
He shrugged, still looking up at the sky. "It's not that I'm not concerned about the students and stuff. It just started that way, wanting to be a Guardian so I could visit home. Who wouldn't want that? But everyone's got their own reasons. As long as they get the job done, it's fine."
"Yeah." Amu said blankly.
A brief moment of silence passed. Kukai, with his eyes on the sky and Amu, still staring at her boots.
"Is that it?" She remarked casually with a raised eyebrow.
"Amu," Kukai sat up and grabbed Amu by her slumped shoulders, surprising her out of her Cool-and-Spicy character. "You can always talk to me. Even if you're stuck at school for a little while, at least you've got me – that is – us I mean. Us Guardians. Nagihiko too."
She faced him and hiccuped at suddenly being so close. His emerald eyes gazed at her intently without blinking even as his amber-brown hair lightly fell against his forehead. She kept his gaze, but feeling the blush blossoming on her cheeks, she began to turn away from Kukai and missed the rosy hue on the Jack's face.
"Besides, it's not like you're not allowed visitors." Kukai winked, releasing her from his grip.
"Ehh?" Amu, with her face flushed, yelped. "Are you serious?!"
Kukai grinned widely and offered a thumbs-up. "Isn't that great?"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Amu was never much of the violent type, but she resisted the urge to smack him. If he hadn't been Kukai, she might have done it too.
"Well," he blinked a few times, "you didn't ask."
"Kukai!"
"Now everything's solved!" With his hands in his pockets, he rose from the bench.
"Yeah," Amu smiled half-heartedly.
"Now what?" Kukai sighed, bending on his knees to meet her eyes. "Like I said before, you can talk to me."
She didn't look at him, but hugged the uniform with a grin. It was the warmth of kindness that she felt. "Thanks Kukai, really..."
"No prob." He smiled, placing a hand on her knee.
"But it's kind of embarrassing to tell." Amu lowered her head.
Kukai's face fell. "Oh." Then brightening, he spoke. "What if I guess it? It wouldn't have anything to do with what I saw in front of the supermarket on Saturday, would it?"
Amu raised her head, lips parted. "You were in front of the supermarket? You mean, you saw everything?"
She turned glowed red by the end of her question.
"You…didn't know? I thought," he breathed out a sigh of relief. He murmured the rest. "I thought that you were referring to me and Nagihiko when you asked about breaking the rule."
Not having heard Kukai, Amu jumped up from her seat causing Kukai to almost fall backwards from his crouch. "So you know what they're talking about! That k-k-kiss! How c-could he do that? What am I going to do? Now I'm going to be hunted around by his stupid fan girls for the rest of my life! And…and on top of that I just find out that I've been breaking a school rule this whole time?! I've been living out there for a week and a half, if anyone finds out, I'll be kicked out even without the probation thing! And…and…and that ki-ki-kiss!"
Kukai could only watch, dazed by the onslaught of words that Amu was spewing, before finally standing up. "Yeah, that housing thing is a problem but you won't be held responsible for it until now because you didn't know. You'd have to move back onto campus though and luckily for you, we guardians can probably arrange something for you. Good thing you're well connected." He laughed and patted her on the back.
Her eyes were teary as she looked at him, so thankful and relieved that she was rendered speechless.
"And as for that kiss, just think of that one as an accidental brush on the lips." Kukai hooked an arm around her neck. He was smiling, but his fingers pressed into Amu's shoulder. "It's not the end of the world. It was just a kiss. Nothing you haven't done before."
When the sophomore Jack was about to send another wink in Amu's direction, he caught her suddenly pallid face. He immediately released his grip and pushing her an arm's length away watching her with sudden concern "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" His hands dropped to his sides as if just realizing.
"Amu?" He waved a hand in front of her face before she finally responded in a small voice.
"I-It was my first kiss."
He blinked. "But, you're in college now."
"So?"
"You're 18."
"So?" She said with a glare.
"Oh my god, Amu." He snickered.
"What is it?" The rosette nearly snapped. She stared down at the floor, as she tried to hide her blush with her hair.
"Amu, you're such a prude!" Kukai broke into a fit of laughter.
"Kukai!" Amu screeched before extending her hand to whack him with her uniform. Just out of reach, Kukai gave her a large grin before running off. He sprinted ahead, hand still clutched over his stomach as he occasionally stopped to give into another fit of laughter.
Having fallen behind, Amu leaned forward to catch her breath. From the end of the path, Kukai's silhouette waved energetically. "Come on trainee. Show me your Super Dash!" He yelled across the distance, before Amu, with fire at her heels, dashed forward with whopping battle cry that soon became laughter.
"Slow down!" She rasped, hands at her knees while still holding the plastic bag.
Meanwhile, at some distance away from the path, on a branch of a tree, a pair of saffron eyes peeked open. Yoru rubbed his twitching ears with the back of his hands and lazily yawned. Seeing Ikuto leaning against the base of the branch fully awake to the scene below, Yoru muttered, "I'm bored nya."
Ikuto shrugged, eyes narrowing at the chase down below. "How annoying."
Yoru opened his mouth, taking offense, but after following Ikuto's gaze to a certain pink-haired girl, he groaned. "So go apologize nya. Or find a new toy. I hate when you mope nya. It's so boring."
"I don't mope Yoru." Ikuto said with a snarl. "And I'm annoyed because those kids are so damn loud."
"Mhm." Yoru murmured with his eyes closed, knowing better than to push the matter further. "I'm heading back to the dorms. See if I got any more cat food stored for Alto. How is he, nya?"
Ikuto shrugged.
"Ya know," Yoru began to climb down. "It'd just be easier if we could take him in now. How's the application process going by the way? For keeping a pet at the dorms?"
Ikuto shrugged again. "Got rejected. But what'd you expect? I couldn't provide an 'appropriate living environment' apparently."
From under the tree, Yoru called out. "You should've breezed through it nya. I'd never be able to tell you're the stepson of the Director if it wasn't for the apartment in the Honors suite. That place is sweet! Which reminds me, I'll be coming over after nya."
"Just a bigger prison cell." Ikuto murmured. He watched Yoru hop away with his messy dark hair bouncing up and down as he went. Really, if Yoru cared enough about it, he would've easily found a place in Easter's modeling company.
Yoru accompanied Ikuto every week during his photo shoots, but no one gave the disheveled young college student a second look. Ikuto leaned his head back against the tree trunk and looked up at the bright sky. If only Yoru could replace him at Easter.
All that glamour and fame, Ikuto didn't need them. He had other dreams for himself. Things he wanted to do. But he gave them up the moment Kazuomi married his mother and took over the school.
Well, it wasn't like his life now was all that bad. Sometimes it was just easier to go with the flow, and wasn't he successful for it?
But no matter how much Ikuto told himself that, he could not get rid of the constant feeling of uneasiness. No matter how many women he slept through, or how many magazine covers he was on, or how angry he made Mr. Hoshina, he was never content.
Though when was he ever? Besides those afternoons he'd spend at the office with his parents afterschool, drinking milk and eating cookies, looking out of those big French windows across the campus and knowing that someday he'd inherit his father's legacy. His sister, Utau, would run across the school grounds with a huge smile, all the while humming sweet little tunes she'd invent herself. It was just as sunny then, but much less cold, less empty.
And now, with both his parents gone, there was nothing to fill him again.
His pockets shook. Ikuto slipped his hand in and pulled out his cell phone. On the front display, read "Easter."
"Yes?" He inquired.
Ikuto's eyes widened. There was something. "Amu Hinamori? What do you want with her?"
Again, another unfocused chapter :x It'll get better soon. I finally worked up an idea for the next couple of chapters. It'll be fun :) Sorry for the wait! I really should've finished this story last year. When this idea was still original and not used by anyone else yet. Oh well. I'll just have to try and make it incredible!
Please note: All comments are greatly appreciated. Plus it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like a successful writer. Of course you don't have to, but it's nice ;)
Press me! (You know you wanna!)
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