I don't own VK
God, I haven't typed those words in so long ;P
[Alice's POV]
I brought my feet up onto the couch and reached for another pretzel. My entire body suddenly jumped when Yoka burst inside from the front door.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOD!" she pattered to herself, tossing her purse and keys next to me on the couch as she rushed into the bedroom.
I blinked several times in her direction, giving myself a moment to regain my train of thought and recover from the sudden startle. I then turned to look at the clock on the wall.
"You have eleven minutes," I called out to her.
"I KNOW!"
I could hear her rummaging through the closet and yanking out all the drawers.
I knew this was gonna' happen…I looked back down at my magazine before calling back out to her, "I already picked out an outfit for you. It's on your bed."
Not long, all the scrambling ceased, and a moment later, Yoka walked out into the living room.
"Seriously?" she said, "This is what I'm wearing?" A smile spread over my face as I looked at the black dress that outlined her figure flawlessly. "Isn't this a little too…formal?" she asked, holding onto the side of the dress to keep it from touching the floor.
"What're you saying? It's perfect!"
Her lips puckered together as she thought for a moment before she finally complied and replied, "Fine…" She then turned to look at the clock on the wall and rushed back into the room. I reached for another pretzel and turned the page of the magazine.
"So what kept ya so late?" I asked, turning the page again.
"I was grading papers," she shouted back from the bathroom. There was a flush and then a momentary pause before she walked back out, sticking one more pin in her hair to keep her bun in place. "And I lost track of time," she finished. "Now I know why teachers use to complain about grading papers." She came over to where I was sitting and reached for her purse. She took out some papers. "Here," she said, handing them to me. "You got an 'A'."
I took it, surprised and looked down at the essay that I had written. Then I mentioned, "But it was late."
"Yes…" she responded nonchalantly.
"So shouldn't there be a penalty?" I also put in.
"That's also true," she replied once again in a casual voice. "But it was well written. You presented your thesis clearly and supported it with facts from credible sources, which was all that I asked for…. And you also need the 'A'," she quickly added that last part.
"Wait a sec!" I brought both my legs under me to help me sit up straight. "You're actually helping me cheat…in your own class?" I asked with a disbelieving grin.
"Okay, first of all," she began, holding a finger out at me, "It's not called 'cheating'. I didn't assist you on completing the assignment in any way so that you had an unfair advantage than the other students." She then held up a second finger and proceeded, "Secondly, you need the 'A'. I don't want to see you in history class again next semester."
All I could do was just shake my head in amusement and quietly laugh to myself. "Please, Yoka…You know you just love me too much!...You should've told me beforehand that you'd help me cheat though. Then I wouldn't have stayed up all night trying to write in complete sentences…" I got up from the couch and walked over to the glass door that led out to the balcony. I slid the door open and poked my head out to see below. "He's here…" I turned around to wish her luck and goodbye but all I caught sight of was the front door slamming shut. I smiled to myself and looked back down the edge. I could see Ichijo-san standing by his car, dressed in a black suit with what I made out to be a green tie from where I was observing on the third floor. Then I saw a small young lady nearly stumble her way out to the building entrance, and sure enough, that was Yoka. I felt my smile spread even wider as I watched him rush over to her side to help her. He held out his hand nervously to her and…she took it! Yes! This is how it should be! He then helped her into his car, and I thought to myself, "Will she remember him after tonight?" The car the slowly drove out of sight. I don't know how things will go, but I hope she does…
xxx
[Third person POV]
He stopped the car and turned off the engine. Yoka peered through the tinted window, finding them parked at the front steps of a manor.
"Ichijo," she began, "I don't think this is a restaurant." She then turned around to him. "Isn't this private property?"
He grinned to himself and responded, "Yes, you're right. This is private property." He then opened the door and stepped out of the car to make his way to where she was on the other side. Then he added once he opened her door, "It's my property. " A smile came upon his lips as he held out his hand to her and addressed, "Welcome to the Ichijo estate."
Yoka glanced back and forth from him to the house , surprised by the unexpected home visit. She eventually took hold of his hand and stepped out of the vehicle. The instant both her feet touched the asphalt ground, she let go of his hand. Ichijo's smiled faltered once the warmth of her touch vanished, but he quickly locked the corners of his lips back in place when she turned to him.
"How come you didn't mention we were coming to your place?" she asked.
"I remembered that you enjoyed surprises….as long as they didn't involve sneaking up on you from behind," he merrily replied back. Yoka looked back at him unusually, surprised by what he knew about her and curious of just how much he knew. "Come on," he then motioned to her, "We'll go around back to eat first. Your stomach has been growling the entire trip here." He felt a sudden warmth spread through his chest when he saw Yoka's cheeks glow red from embarrassment. It was like they were back in school when he would always flatter her and she'd blush uncontrollably. Without another moments waste, he then led her past the front and around to the back. She looked around her, awestruck by the manor that towered over them.
"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, her eyes bouncing from concrete to concrete and observing even the tiniest of cracks on the tiles. "The English design…it's amazing, ancient but so well preserved," she continued, fascinated by the history that the outside walls portrayed.
He didn't say anything but remained quiet, admiring her just as she admired the manor. She spoke of how beautifully the house was built, and to him, she was the same. Ichijo had never met another woman remotely like her. There was something about Yoka that made her vibrant while everything else remained black and white. And even after these years, her personality and her zeal remained unchanged. But could he say the same of the forgotten passion she once had for him?
The two of them eventually made it around to the back of the mansion, where a lightly-lit patio awaited. Ichijo held out his hand to her again once they reached the steps up the patio, and again she naturally released her hold onto his after the final step. The area was illuminated by lanterns and light posts. Yoka looked at the meticulously arranged bouquet of flowers at each corner of the platform and the statues and sculptures also present. She looked up from the plants and her eyes caught sight of the enormous wooden doors that led to the inside of the house. She ran her fingers over the unique carvings etched into the wood. The exotic design crossed her mind as closely resembling bloomed roses. When she looked up to inquire Ichijo about the wooden artwork, she saw him standing by a set table for two holding out a chair for her.
He smiled when she caught his eyes and he kindly said, "Dinner is ready whenever you are."
[Yoka's POV]
I was quite taken aback by how this evening was turning out. Everything just felt so…personal – the way we were dressed, the location of dinning, how amazingly delicious the food was, our conversations, and him! I don't understand…Why is he trying so hard? What is he trying to get at?
I set down my fork after finishing the cake for dessert and gently wiped my mouth with the dinner napkin.
"Thank you for dinner," I said to him sincerely.
"It was my pleasure," he replied with the smile that never faded once throughout the night. He stood up from his seat and then asked, "Would you like to see the inside of the house?"
"I'd love to."
We walked up to the two doors leading inside. As tall as he was, Ichijo still appeared small compared to the doorway. Yet, surprisingly, he opened the door with minimal effort. He's a vampire, Yoka. They have like "super powers", remember? Obviously that would include super strength...
"After you," he said, motioning for me to enter.
I held on to the side of my dress, lifting it up just a little so it barely touched the ground as I stepped inside. Without warning, my fingers suddenly lost their grasp. I stood motionless, staring in front of me with only a single word escaping my lips, "Wow."
The fresh scent of oak from the floor lingered in the atmosphere, making every breath I took refreshing and pure. Ichijo stood several feet in front of me with his hands in his pockets, smiling at me as I dawdled down the hall like a five-year-old in a candy store. It was amazing to see how the English style of house's exterior was also brilliantly displayed inside by the designs of the walls and ceilings as well as the many handmade furniture. I was mesmerized by never-before-seen antiques and historical paintings that hung along the walls. It's…wow…I've never seen these pieces before, not in museums, books…not even on the internet! He walked up next to me after I had stopped to scrutinize the last work at the end of the hall – a painting.
"Do you recognize this one?" he asked, intrigued.
"Wars of the Roses, mid to late 1400s," I responded.
He grinned to himself and gave a small nod. You forgot I'm a history teacher. I then turned to him, adding, "But specifically which battle…I'm not too sure. I've…never seen this work before."
"It's the Battle of Wakefield. The only one of its kind," he said in a reminiscing tone, "Grandfather should've painted more."
I looked over at him as he brushed his fingers along its frame, wiping away any dust that may have been on it. "Your…grandfather painted this?"
"And several others around the house. He enjoyed painting what he saw. It was a hobby of his," he casually responded.
"Wait, hold on…Your grandfather painted what he saw…He was there…at the Battle of Wakefield?"
"Yes," he answered, finding my shock slightly amusing. "Did you forget about the age difference between humans and vampires?"
"No, I remember," I replied, turning to face the painting again. "It's not the time that took me by surprise. It's the location."
"Grandfather lived in England for quite some time before he came here," he then responded as the two of us entered a study room.
"I guess that explains the blonde hair," I put in with a grin. He smirked from my comment, brushing his golden locks back.
I glanced around the room that we had just come in. There was a large desk handcrafted with an intricate and elegant design. There were two armchairs and a small round table centered in front of the fireplace. We walked over to the fire that was already ablaze. Above it, there was a tall painting hung centered in place, a portrait of just the upper-half of a man with glowing blonde hair and a lightly shaded set of eyes. Hey…He kinda' looks like-
"Asato Ichijo," I heard his voice say.
I turned to see Ichijo standing right next to me.
"He was known by most as Ichio."
"Is he your grandfather?" I asked.
He nodded and said, "He was head of the vampire council. This use to be his study quarters. He spent most of his days in this room, dealing with council issues."
"Are you two close?"
"We…were."
"Were?" I looked over at him curiously,
"He's dead," he replied, turning his back to the portrait. "Come on," he then added, changing the subject, "There's something I want to show you."
I went with him and we exited the room. Did you notice the disdain in his breath when he said his grandfather passed away? It wasn't indifference…It was pure contempt. Just a moment ago he was fine, talking about his gramps and his paintings. If they use to be close, how did their relationship end up like this? I wonder what happened between the two of them…We arrived at a room with its doors closed.
Ichijo reached for the handles of the doors and turned to me and said, "Ready?"
The moment I nodded, he pushed forward. A soothing light quickly filled our sights, revealing one of the largest libraries I had ever seen. Bookshelves stretched along the walls from one end of the room to the other with almost every inch of the walls filled with books. I walked over to the collection on my left. Just observing the binding and style of text, I could tell that these weren't your everyday type of readings. These were old! The amount of history that encompassed this room was breath-taking. To imagine the history that existed on the entire estate was unfeasible.
"Do you like it?" he asked me.
"Like it? I love it!" I answered, turning from side to side to try and glance at every title possible.
It didn't take long for me to gradually tune everything out. Accidentally though…In a moments passing, I found myself still actively looking over every book on the shelves. I turned around and I saw Ichijo leaning against the couch at the other side of the room. He wasn't staring down at me, neither did he appear offended by my sudden shift of attention. I guess he didn't want to disturb me. He was just quietly waiting for me with such patience hardly seen in people and with a smile that sent my stomach blooming with butterflies.
"I'm sorry. That was rude of me to just run off like that," I apologized, walking towards him. "It's just that when it comes to books…I fall into my own little world."
"Don't apologize," he then said once I was in front of him, "I think it's great. It's what I loved about you."
I felt a sudden stir inside when I heard him say that. It's what he "loved" about me? Um…what? I must have had a puzzled expression for he then asked, "Are you okay?"
Not really. I'm so confused about…YOU! I gave an uncertain smile and nodded.
"Something's on your mind," he said, obviously not fooled. "What is it?"
"I'm just…" I paused for a moment. Whoa…I was actually about to tell him what it was that was bothering me! How did I become so naturally honest with "him"? He was still watching me, waiting for me to finish. "…confused," I finally said. "Everything we've talked about this entire evening…during dinner, just a moment ago…I feel like you want me to remember something, and…and I just don't know what it is. I mean…I forgot quite a bit." I looked down and unknowingly saw my hands fiddling with each other. Why am I getting so nervous all of a sudden? Just ask! I then looked up at him and asked, "Ichijo…Who are you to me?" He wasn't looking straight at me. I guess I'm not the only one that's nervous now. I could sense the uneasiness in his movements as he shifted a bit, setting his hands on the couch, but he was still smiling.
"How'd you find out about the night class?" he abruptly asked.
Huh…?
"Um…excuse me?" I asked back.
"How did you find out that the night class was all vampires?" he clarified.
Oh, that's a simple question.
"Well, Yo-" I unexpectedly stopped. I crossed my arms together and gazed off to the side, wondering. How DID I know? I feel like it was…BOOM and I knew! But…that doesn't make sense. And when I try to think harder, my mind just goes blank. Something's missing...He watched me, waiting for my answer. But I didn't have one.
"I…don't know," I told him in such a quiet voice that I almost sounded scared.
"You found out because of me," he responded with his head slightly tilted to the side.
Really? He was the one that told me? How?
"So…you told me?"
"Not really," he replied, "You walked in on Senri and I one day while he was taking a nip of me."
"At the Moon Dorms?"
"Yup."
"What was I doing there?" I don't remember any of this!
"You were looking for me," he said.
"Looking for you?...We knew each other before then?"
"Correct again. We were very good friends." He then looked at me for a bit and asked, "Is any of this ringing a bell?"
I felt there was a sense of disappointment in him when I shook my head. Ichijo…He knows things that I don't remember. I want to know what they are and yet…I don't.
He gave a light shrug, trying to hide away the disappointment.
"Well, we're not in a rush. It takes time to remember things," he then said in a warming voice.
"You mean…our friendship?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied, "And…maybe a bit more."
More? I was inclined to ask him what he meant, but then chose not to. I don't want to know…At least, not now. This is more than enough remembering for me in an evening.
xxx
[Third person POV]
"What happened? Details!" Alice shouted with excitement the moment Yoka stepped inside the room.
Yoka gave her a soft smile and then said, "We had fun. He's a sweet guy." She walked to where her room was and turned to Alice. "I'm kind of tired. I'll see you in the morning." Then she went inside and closed the door behind her.
Alice stared at the closed door in front of her for a moment, wondering to herself, "I don't get her sometimes…"We had fun. He's a sweet guy" ? Was she being sarcastic…or sincere?" Seeing that Yoka had really called it quits for the night, Alice also decided to leave the matter alone. She returned to her bedroom and sat on her bed, pushing her math textbook away. It's strange how of all her memories, Yoka just can't remember Ichijo-san. Is it possible that those memories of him are lost for a reason? Maybe Yoka wanted to forget…
Thanks for reading. I'll try and update soon :]