Chapter 10

Peer Pressure

Daichi ran around the apartment looking for his socks as Kenshin waited by the front door. He had misplaced them in Kenshin's apartment somewhere. He crawled on his hands and knees beginning to look under the table in the middle of the room. "I don't know where they are."

"You have two minutes to find them," Kenshin said crossing his arms. This was starting to be a habit of Daichi's. Every morning he was losing something so he could delay his trip to school. "You can go without socks," he finally said when Daichi stood up almost giving up on the matter. The idea didn't seem to be too farfetched. Daichi realized this, suddenly remembering the socks were in the bathroom. That's what I thought.

The boy came back with his socks on – one inside out. He began to put his shoes on quickly, lifting his book bag over his shoulders. "I'm ready," he said as he looked up at Kenshin. Kenshin only stared back at him with an eyebrow raised.

Kenshin opened the door, moving his hand to issue Daichi to get out of the apartment. He closed the door behind them, the boy starting to run towards the stairs. "Don't run," he said knowing it was pointless for the kid to even listen to him right now. Daichi went down the stairs, almost knocking over Asuka Ueda on her way to work. Kenshin went after him grabbing his arm as soon as he hit the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, you almost knocked Asuka over! I told you to slow down! It isn't all about you and what you want to do," he said in a serious tone.

Mizu stood near the entrance of the door with her coat around her, turning around to see Kenshin getting onto Daichi. She kept her hands on her coat, remaining silent. Hinata was emerging from the kitchen with a cup of coffee and a piece of fish sticking out of his mouth.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you," Kenshin said not letting go of the boy's arm. "You could have caused her to tumble down the stairs. You're in too much of a hurry!" He gave Daichi a stern look. The boy's lip quivered. He lowered his head turning away from Kenshin, nodding slowly. "Apologize to her right now."

Asuka lifted her hood to place it over her head. She looked at Daichi with her sunglasses on, purse already over her arm. Her keys were in her hand ready to crank up her car and be on her way. "Well?"

Daichi tried to lift his eyes to look at Asuka. He was embarrassed with how Kenshin had talked to him in front of everyone. "I-I'm sorry," he said quietly, his hands clenched. He didn't dare look at Kenshin. The man told him to go to the car. Daichi walked past everyone out into the cold morning, his hand going up to wipe his eyes. He wished his mom was back.

Kenshin got into the car without a word, clicking his seatbelt. He put the key in the ignition and cranked it up. Daichi's head was lowered in the back seat, staring at his hands. There was nothing to be said. He was disappointed in the boy's listening skills. He's got to learn. That's all there is to it. I'm not going to have him disobeying me while Kyo is gone.

Kenshin pulled up to the drop off area. He waited until Daichi had opened the door and closed it before he glanced behind him. He'll be fine. It's not his first scolding. Kenshin drove off leaving Daichi standing at the entrance to the school.

Hinata walked along the snow covered street with his hands in his pockets. He glanced at the shops in Ohara, their window displays seeming less brilliant now that he was out of a job along with transportation. He stopped along the street, sighing heavily, his mind in great thought. A large ironic stream of laughter carried to his ears in the winter atmosphere. Turning around to look over his shoulder, he could see a woman hugging the arm of a man. She's laying it on a little thick. As he stood taken aback by their romantic attitudes, the couple came closer not paying him any mind. Hinata's eyes stared straight at the woman's face hiding under the furry hood of her coat.

"You say the funniest things, Usotsuki! How can such a charming, witty man like you be single? The odacity of women and their pride," Asuka Ueda said smiling at the man, putting on all of her airs.

"My dear, Asuka, you're a fanciful delight. You're as daunting as a sparrow with the brilliance of a peacock," Usotsuki said putting his chest out to where he appeared more dignified – and full of himself.

Hinata turned around to where his back was only seen by the couple as they stopped to look around at the scenery. Soon they passed him again slowly, going back the way they came, passing compliments back and forth. Hinata rolled his eyes. It wasn't quite noon yet. He assumed Asuka was trying to get the man to treat her. Soon enough, they entered a small cafe three shops down.

What is she up to? Hinata glanced around before he got closer to the café with the green and white striped over hanger. Leaning his back against the brick, he tilted to the side so he could see in. Asuka and her date were escorted to a table. He watched her laugh redicuously at the man's words for some time. Whoever he was, he didn't seem to notice it was all a ploy. Hinata quickly moved away from the window as the couple got up from the table. Soon they were exiting the café.

Asuka walked out ahead of her date laughing as wittingly as before. The man stepped to the sidewalk as a taxi pulled up. Opening the door, he issued Asuka to get in, blew a kiss to her, and then shut the door with a click. The man waved goodbye with his hand in the air, his other hand blowing kisses as if he was departing from his fiancée.

Usotsuki took out his cell phone once the taxi was far enough away. He tottered on his feet a few times as it rang on the other end. "Hello dear, how are you? Really? Well, give your sister my love. I'll be home in a two days. It appears they might be willing to sell the farm. Yes, it's a good deal for them and the company. Alright, I'll talk to you soon. Bye-bye."

Hinata grit his teeth. The man was clearly married. Asuka was being used. Even though he didn't know her very well, she was still someone he knew. Before he could confront the man, Usotsuki hit a redial button his cell phone to make another call. Hinata stopped in motion, his arms out trying to catch himself. He walked away from the scene, only to go into the door of another shop. He stood there, listening.

"Migawari, sir. Your daughter is doing well. She hasn't spoken much about her family. Yes, she's laying low in this town. I told her I was a humble Agriculture Production Manager. No, sir, neither of them know. Tomorrow is my final day here. I'll try to get as much information as I can out of her. The train leaves early the next morning. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I understand." Migawari closed his cell phone, sticking it back in his pocket.

Hinata didn't know who the man really was. The name he had given Asuka was clearly a fake. Come to think of it, his whole appearance and situation was a fake, too. As he glanced behind to acknowledge the man behind the counter asking him why the door was open, Migawari got into a black Sedan that pulled up to the curve. Hinata's eye twitched as he bailed out the door. The car sped away as soon as he reached the curve. Who is Asuka Ueda? And why is she hiding out in Ohara?

Chiyoko moved out to the hall sensing someone coming home a bit late. "Mizu, you must have had to work late. It's too cold out for you to be walking all of the way here," she said noticing how snow was scuffed around the young woman's boots and pants. Without turning around, she also sensed someone peeping around over the corner above her head also interested in Mizu's return. "Hinata, since you have nothing better to do, take the package on the table to Oshiro in 2A," she said jerking a thumb behind her.

"What? Are you crazy! You want me to deliver this to the spy's hideout? It could be a bomb," Hinata protested looking at the rather medium sized package on the table. Next thing he knew, he had an audience.

Riku adjusted his glasses as he stared at Hinata with a sinister smile. "Hey, if it blows up before you get up the stairs, can I have your t.v.? Mine's been a little fuzzy lately."

Hinata turned around grabbing a fake pear out of a bowl near the entrance. He threw it straight at Riku, hitting him square in the face. "Then go buy a new one! If I die, I'm coming back to haunt all of you in the shower and make you all pee on yourselves!"

Kenshin raised his hand slowly from the other room that was still in view. "Why does it have to be when we're naked? Are you a pervert?"

Hinata stood stiffly as Mizu's hands stopped putting her coat on the hanger. "All of you are sadists!" He hurried to grab the parcel from the table, passing Chiyoko with a frown. Turning quickly, he was up the stairs trying hard to not see the expression on Mizu's face.

"Um, there's a spy living here," Mizu asked not knowing whether to believe any of them, or not.

"Oh, yes, you haven't met that particular resident," Kenshin said with a half smile. "No one has, in fact. His name is: Juro Oshiro," he said moving his hands to the board Riku was holding up with the man's name, as if he were some sort of celebrity that all of Ohara should be aware of.

"Oshiro registered over the phone through a housing agency," Chiyoko said to get their minds out of the unnecessary infatuations that were developing. "He came in late at night when all of you were asleep. His flight was delayed. I told all of you this."

"He's never came down for a meal and doesn't go out of his room," Riku said typing on his laptop again. "That's suspicious." He turned his head back engrossed in the website he had pulled up.

"That's not any different than you," Kenshin said lowly. "Anyway, since no one has seen him, or knows anything about him, he was dubbed 'The Spy'."

"We didn't nickname him that," Riku corrected as he half read the summary about a movie he wanted to see. "You and Hinata named him that after listening to Emi rant about a movie she had seen. It was all on you all's basis."

"Be that as it may, everyone's wary about going towards that particular door. No one sees him take the packages that arrive. Or hear the door open," Kenshin said with a finger in the air for drama effect. "Once the package is dropped, you walk a few feet, turn around and POOF! It's gone," he said slamming his hands together. Mizu jumped a little.

"Why not tell her about the time you and Hinata set up traps to catch 'The Spy'?" Riku turned around shutting his laptop as he decided to tell her all about it. "Hinata and Kenshin set up the type of trap one would put in the woods when hunting a rabbit. But instead of a carrot, they used a dirty magazine to try and lure the old man out. Now I wonder whose magazine it could have been?"

Kenshin had no choice but to pelt Riku at that point with his fists. "You talk too much! And who do you think gave us the idea for the ridiculous trap? It was you!"

Riku grunted as he struggled to breathe with Kenshin's arm around his neck. "It was only a joke, but you both too it so seriously. As if a box with a string could catch a person – much less a spy."

Chiyoko stood with her hands behind her back watching Hinata come down the stairs. He seemed a bit uneasy. "You look as if Oshiro opened the door," she said mildly.

Kenshin dropped Riku to the floor running to Hinata, who had an uneasy expression on his face. "Did he? Did he open the door," he asked as if he were a school child trying to take pictures of a ghost.

Hinata gave him this baffled look before he pushed him back with his hand on his face. "No, he didn't open the door! The parcel wasn't that heavy. I had just crouched to set it down, stood, and by the time I looked down again, it was gone. I didn't have to walk off. I didn't hear him open the door or anything."

"Both of you are highly immature," Riku said from his seated position against the wall.

Kenshin narrowed his eyes turning around slowly. "Let's get him." He started to walk towards Riku but was grabbed by the collar by Hinata.

"You're only going to stoop to his level," Hinata said realistically.

"Oh, since when have you cared," Kenshin said rather loudly and frantically.

"When did the hair finally grow, Hinata? Before or after Mizu arrived," Riku said with a sly smirk. He was then hit on the side of the head with a swift kick. He fell over to the floor, his cheek being pressed by Hinata's weight.

Kenshin stared at the stopwatch he had out. "Hmm..better than last time. Twenty point three seconds. That's a new record," he said smiling at Hinata.

"What was his record before," Mizu asked not believing Hinata couldn't restrain himself.

"Sixteen point six seconds," Kenshin showed her the notepad where it was all written down.

"Quit writing that down," Hinata fired back.

Yuuma couldn't keep his mind off of the drawer in the hall where something important was locked away. He sat in bed staring out the window at the snow. I have to know what's in there? Why was it locked up? I can't move around the house like I want anymore.

The house sat on top of a hill, a small frozen pond off to the left of the house near the woods. Yuuma wondered if he'd ever see ducks swim in it again, or be able to feed the birds in the grass. He slammed his fist upon the railing of the bed. It shook slightly with a ping sound. I'm not getting better. I've been fooling myself. His eyes looked over his room. I thought that if I tried to concentrate on Hinata's problems, or study during the day, that I'd be able to re-enter college. But… it's all been a lie hasn't it?

Yuuma tilted his body reaching over to open the nightstand drawer near his bed. In it, he kept a journal to keep his mind sane. Often he wrote about memories he was fond of, or people he wanted to remember. All he had was time to himself – alone in the room. Taking his pen, he wrote down a simple goal for himself: I want to sit in the grass at the beach again with Hinata. I want to talk about tourists being active. I want to go fishing. Yuuma smiled at the last part. He wasn't as good as Hinata when it came to fishing.

"You were always better than me at that sport, no? But then again, your grandfather loved to fish more than he liked to paint. You're so much like him, Hinata," he said to the open air. Yuuma closed his heavy eyes. He kept thinking about fishing at the ocean. If only he could pull hard enough to get the fish to come in.

Daichi ran to his mother despite Kenshin telling him to wait for him at the platform. "Mom, how was your trip? Where did you go? Was it boring? Did you bring me something?"

Kyo shook her head. "And to think I was worried you and Kenshin fighting while I was gone," she said. She stood overlooking her son admiring him for the first time in a week that she had been away.

Kenshin's hand went to his mouth, his head turning away as he stared off into nothing remembering his time with the boy. It had been a battle getting Daichi to take a bath. And do his homework. And brush his teeth. Even the car rides to and from school were quite silent since the scolding had occurred. It wasn't until this moment did he appear lifelike again.

"So what have you and Kenshin been doing together while I was away," Kyo asked. She knew how troubling Daichi could be. He was as stubborn as a mule who wouldn't drink when he was thirsty. She looked up to see Kenshin thinking about something. "Was he good for you," she asked snapping him back to reality.

"He wasn't a demon," Kenshin replied a little too hastily. He retreated when Kyo came running at him to grab onto his collar. His eyes met hers. Swallowing hard, he held up his hands. "Ah-that's not what I mean!"

"Are you implying that my son is raised improperly, Kenshin Nakahara?" Kyo had only been away long enough to remind herself how beautiful life was with her son. "Are you so inexperienced with children that you cannot take care of a simple boy? It's much like taking care of your pets at the pet store, except he talks."

"Ah, Kyo-san, you have the wrong idea," Kenshin said as he was shaken about. "Help! Someone help me, please!"

"What kind of man can't defend himself? You must be that man!" Kyo shook him harder until his head went back. Kenshin was drooling with his eyes closed. "Hmm? Did I do too much damage?"

Daichi poked Kenshin's cheek. "Mom, he's puffy like a puffer fish. Should we put him in some water?"

"Water? No, it's too cold for that. We should throw him in the ocean where he came from, but we'll be more civilized and take him home," she said to her son. "Roll my luggage, Dai," Kyo instructed as she pulled Kenshin along by the collar. Daichi followed right behind her rolling a large suitcase of luggage while his mother held onto the bag she had around her shoulder.

Emi Wakahisa stopped short in the hallway. The bell had rang for all of the students to leave for the day. As soon as she stepped out of her classroom, she was met by a boy who appeared to be her age. She didn't recognize him. The boy's eyes drifted to see Mayu, Norko, and Sayuri coming down the hall towards Emi's class. He grabbed a hold of her arm moving away from the door. "W-Wait!"

"This way," Arata Nakano said under his breath. He led Emi away from the class where it was clear the bullying girls were headed. Once they were down the hall, he led her up the stairs, instead of down.

"I have to go! I can't follow you – whoever you are!" Emi tried to pull away from him, but the boy had a tight hold on her wrist. They were heading for the roof of the building. "What are you going to do to me," she yelled in a panic. The boy stopped. He turned around to look at her.

"Do to you? I'm not going to do anything to you. Not like anything those girls have been doing to you," Arata stated. "I suppose I'm frightening you like this. Sorry, Nakano Arata. Pleased to meet you, Wakahisa Emi."

Emi pulled her hand away instantly. He wasn't advancing on her. "How do you know my name? Are you stalking me? I can't do any favors for you, if that's what you want. I'm already-"

"Bound to those girls," Arata said rather bluntly. "I transferred to this school two years ago. But I don't think you'd remember me. That's not how I know you though. I saw you in the hall a few days ago. You were carrying the books of those girls. The expression on your face told me they were forcing you to do it. What do they have hanging over your head?"

Emi moved down the stairs backwards until her back was pressing against the wall. The students below her were shuffling out of the building heading home in the snow. "I-It's none of your business," she shouted, closing her eyes, afraid of the anger in her own voice.

"Then whose business is it? Does someone have to wait months to get close to you in order to help you? I don't have that kind of time, or patience," Arata said adjusting the bag over his shoulder. "If you continue to let them bully you, they're going to get you in trouble soon. People like that have no morals for themselves, or the others around them." He walked down the steps and passed her slowly with his hand gliding down the rail. Arata stopped. "I'm not offering to help you because I feel pity for you."

"Then why are you offering," Emi said throwing her school briefcase at his back. It hit him, landing on the steps. "No one has cared about me since I came here. No one in this town, or this school! You see me for a moment in your life and want to take charge?"

"No, not take charge. I'm not that type of person." Arata glanced over his shoulder at her, his hollow gaze seeing past her. "However, if it's an injustice I see, I'm also not the type to sit by and let it happen." Arata turned back around to walk down the stairs.

Emi looked at the floor. Her eyes drifted to the briefcase on the steps. She clenched her fingers at the end of her skirt before running to retrieve it. Her feet hit the steps quickly. Maybe if she hurried, she wouldn't have to worry about the girls finding her. Emi peeped her head around the corner checking to see if any of them were coming. Most of the students had left.

They're not here. They gave up on me and went home! Now I can go home without having to do their homework, or clean their uniforms! Emi happily smiled to herself as she ran the rest of the way towards the locker. She quickly changed her shoes, shut the door, and was outside in no time. Emi's feet padded onto the snow, crunching a few feet from the building when a gallon of ice cold water hit her. She screamed in shock.

Noriko put her hand on her hip as the bucket of water was lowered by Sayuri. She let Emi get a good glimpse of her. "From now on, you'll stay by your class until we've seen you. Don't think you can hide from us. Running won't do you any good either," she said as the window was closed.

Emi's body shook with chills as the winter air latched onto her wet clothes. Her mind raced. There were no other clothes in her locker that she could change in to. Now she was soaked to the bone. Emi forced herself to stand, tears starting to spring into her eyes. The words Arata had spoken came back to her.

I…I can't let them bully me all year. I have to stand up to them. Emi didn't know how she was going to do that though. The coat she wore weighed her down with water. Emi had to take it off and ring it out before she could go home. She leaned against a tree to ring the water out of the heavy coat as best she could, then threw it over her arm. Her eyes looked up at the hill she had to walk in order to get to Tokodeki. Things were not turning out well for her today.