The Next Generation

Chapter 10: Secrets

"What the hell happened to her?" Kaya turned to Rei, who sat calmly in the chair next to the bed.

"She tripped," he said simply.

"Why didn't you tell Haku and Lu Ten! And why did I have to find out by someone running all over the place?"

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to leave her."

"How did she trip? Is she okay? How is she hurt?"

"She tripped in the stairs. She's unconscious, so I don't know if she is okay or how she is hurt."

"Why hasn't anyone tried to heal her yet?"

"Because she is unconscious."

"I'm getting Haku and Lu Ten."

"Wait!" Rei was standing up. "Yue is upset with Lu Ten. I don't want her to see him when she comes to. I don't want to upset her as soon as she wakes up."

"Well, at least I'm getting Haku."

"I don't think too many people should be crowding her."

Kaya glared at him suspiciously. "Wait a second…. You didn't tell any of us because you didn't want us to know…. Why!"

"She's someone I care about a lot. And I know how much she cares about you all, so I know that she wouldn't want you to worry about her."

"Well, Yue is like that…." Kaya looked him over carefully. "I am at least going to tell Lu Ten and Haku. There is no way you can stop me from telling them."

Rei just sighed in defeat. Kaya left, heading for the boy's dorms. She reached the door and pounded on it.

"Do you mind?" A boy with light brown hair and dull grey eyes opened the door.

"I need Lu Ten and Haku Bei Fong, like right now!"

"Why?" The boy asked, smirking. "You can have me."

"This is an emergency!" Kaya glared.

"Fine," the boy sighed, closing the door. A few seconds later, Lu Ten and Haku came out.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ten asked.

"Yue's in the infirmary."

"What?" Both boys gasped.

"Lu Ten, wait!" Kaya grabbed his wrist to keep him from running to the infirmary.

"What did he do to her!" Lu Ten yelled.

"She tripped! Lu Ten, you know she's kind of clumsy…. And…. Rei brought up a good point…. She is a little upset with you, and it might upset her to see you."

Lu Ten stared. "Kaya…. I love Yue…."

Kaya and Haku exchanged glances.

"I'm sorry, Lu Ten…. Rei thinks it's a bad idea to have several people in to see her, and I agree with him."

Lu Ten just looked away from her, heading off in the opposite direction from the infirmary.

"Where are you going?" Kaya asked.

"For a walk…." Lu Ten replied, not even turning to look at them.

"Is Yue okay?" Haku asked. Kaya shrugged.

"I want you to come, but you can't let Lu Ten know. I want you to at least stand on the outside of the curtain to tell me if Rei is lying or not. He just seemed a little too calm…."

Haku nodded and followed Kaya to the infirmary, waiting outside the curtain as Kaya asked Rei to tell her what happened.

"I told you, we were going back toward our dorms after dinner, and she tripped going down the stairs." Rei sighed.

"Hm…. Well…. I'm not leaving her, either…." Kaya sat on the end of the bed.

"Excuse me," A woman with black hair and eyes pulled back part of the curtain, "It's getting late. No one is allowed to stay overnight unless they are a patient."

Kaya nodded, leaving with Haku. Rei hesitantly followed. The woman extinguished the few torches and lamps and retreated to a back room.

Lu Ten, a small flame flickering above his palm, peaked into the infirmary, seeing that everyone had gone. He crept silently and carefully over to the curtains, slipping inside.

"Yue…." Lu Ten sat down, letting the flame disappear. He just sat there, looking at her for a moment.

"I brought you something…." He whispered, putting something in her hand. She stirred and her eyes opened slightly.

"Lu Ten…." Yue said softly.

"Yue…."

Yue lifted her hand to see what Lu Ten had put in it, and she started to silently cry. It was the last small piece of her scarf.

"It was an accident, Yue…."

"I know," Yue choked. "I'm sorry I was so harsh toward you…."

"No, I understand…. What happened to you?"

"I…. I tripped…."

Lu Ten held her hand gently as she wiped her tears with her other hand.

"You know I'm not very graceful…."

"Are you okay?"

"I am now…."

Lu Ten blushed slightly, and so did Yue.

"I mean," Yue quickly elaborated, "I am now because I'm awake…. And I have this from Shun…."

"Right, I knew you meant that…." Lu Ten sighed.

"Where is Rei?"

"Everyone had to go to bed."

"You got to stay because you're the prince?"

"No, I snuck in."

"I'm glad you did…."

Again, they both blushed.

"I mean," Yue hurriedly added, "because being alone makes me nervous…."

"Right…. I knew that…."

"Where's Aki…?" Yue tried to look around, but winced in pain.

"Don't worry, you just rest. I'll find him in the morning. I promise…."

"Thank you…. I don't know where he could have gone…. It's not like him to run off like this…."

"I know…. But I'll find him for you." Lu Ten smiled.

"Lu Ten, could you do something for me?"

"Anything, Yue…."

"Don't let Rei know you were here…. I don't want him to get jealous or anything…."

"Sure…."

"I'm so lucky to have Rei…. He cares so much about me…."

"Yue…."

"I hope that someday, everyone can be as lucky as I am…."

"For some reason, Yue, you don't sound like you believe what you're saying…."

"Um, that's um, just because I'm a bit tired…." Yue said nervously.

"It's alright, Yue…. I understand. Rei doesn't want me here during the day, so how about I come every night 'til they let you leave?"

"I'd really like that…. Um, because, you know, the alone thing…."

"Right, the alone thing…." Lu Ten smiled slightly.

"Rei doesn't want you here because he thinks I shouldn't forgive you for burning my scarf…. He's just trying to keep me happy and safe…. He just wants to keep me happy and safe…."

"I want to keep you happy and safe, too, Yue…."

"Don't worry about me, Lu Ten…. Just keep yourself happy and safe and I'll be fine."

Lu Ten left right before it started to get light outside. He snuck to the boy's dorm and into his room, where Haku was sitting on his bed, his arms crossed.

"Late night, Lu Ten?" Haku smirked. Lu Ten didn't say anything.

"That was quite a walk…." Haku said, still smirking.

"Don't tell Kaya…." Lu Ten said, a bit pleadingly.

"I won't. I know how you feel about Yue, so I know that it's important for you to spend time with her whenever you can." Haku smiled, flipping off his bed and leaving the room. Lu Ten shook his head.

Lu Ten looked all over the school to find Aki, but he couldn't find the little creature.

"Rei…." Lu Ten approached Rei during lunch. Rei glared at him.

"I wanted to know where Aki is."

"What do you mean?"

"Aki isn't with Yue. Do you know where he is?"

"How do you know that Aki isn't with Yue?" Rei said suspiciously.

"Um, Kaya told me. Since Aki isn't with her, I was looking for him. But I can't seem to find him."

"I don't know where he is. He must have run off when she fell."

"That isn't like him. Aki is very faithful to Yue."

"I don't know where he is." Rei said firmly, standing up. "Now, I have to go check on Yue." He smirked before leaving. Lu Ten glared after him.

That night, Yue was still in the infirmary. Lu Ten snuck in again.

"Hey," he said, smiling slightly, lighting the candle on the bedside table. Yue blushed a bit and bit her lower lip.

"Are you any better?"

"No…. The healers are having a hard time healing me because most of my injuries are internal, which are a lot harder to heal…."

"Well, I couldn't find Aki…. Rei thinks he must have run somewhere when you fell."

"Oh…." Yue looked away from him.

"What's that?" Lu Ten pointed to Yue's wrist, where there were some small bruises.

"Um, nothing…." Yue hid her arm under the blankets. Lu Ten gave her a skeptical look and pulled her arm out, holding her wrist closer to the flickering candlelight.

"Yue…." Lu Ten gently put his hand around her wrist. His fingers lined up with the bruises. "How did you get these?" Lu Ten let her pull her hand back under the blankets.

"I'm fine…."

"Someone grabbed you, Yue, hard enough to bruise you…." Lu Ten said seriously. Yue avoided looking at him.