Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear
Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.
A/N: …I know, I haven't updated in a while, my computer's busted, blah blah blah, excuse excuse excuse… but ANYWAYS, I'm typing my story up on this school computer, which I'm not entirely sure I should be doing. So BE GRATEFUL!
Hiro: Oh God, she's back again…
MuraSakura: URASAI! (Hits Hiro on the head w/ Daddy Frying Pan)
Hiro: …HA! (Has a helmet on) Don't you think I would've LEARNED by now??
MuraSakura: …(Kicks Hiro where the sun don't shine) Nyah! I win!
Hiro: (Falls over w/ a higher pitched voice) Damn you…
Tenshi: (whacks Hiro in the head) SUCH FOUL LANGUAGE!!
MuraSakura: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Ahem) I DO NOT own Pretear in any way, shape, or form. That's Kaori Naruse and Junichi Saitou. But I DO own the OCs EXCEPT for Tenshi Hikari, and Hiniku Shinderu. Mishi-chan and Invisible Love own them. Kai Hiwatari is the property of Beyblade as well. Now back to the drama! ON WITH THE FIC!!!
Answers to Reviews:
Cookie2718: You're very welcome, I'm glad you liked it! And arigato gozaimazu to YOU for reviewing! (Bows)
Invisible Love: Hiya Hiniku! (Waves) Well, it wasn't exactly "soon", but it was a long chappie! I'm VERY glad you found nothing to complain about in the last chapter, 'Ku-chan. XD And what happened to that promise of YOU writing?? You've practically disappeared off the face of Fanfiction!
Firefairie93: Thanks a lot! I try to be humorous when I can. XD
Dreamgirllogan: OMG, I feel so bad! I always look forward to your reviews, and here I am, being a lazy authoress! Bad me! REVIEW PLEASE SO I CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF AGAIN! Stupid lazy bum I am…
Lady ElfDragon: (Blinks) Well, thank you very much! I like to think that my writing skills are a bit above average, but it's REALLY nice to hear so much praise every now and again…even if I DO become lazy because my Inspiration takes frequent un-planned leaves of absences. X ( (Tenshi: You have NO idea… -.-)
CHAPTER DEDICATION! This chapter is dedicated to all those who have added my humble fic to their favorites list, namely Cookie2718, Firefairie93, and Lady ElfDragon. ARIGATO!!! YOUR REVIEWS MAKE ME FEEL SO LOVED!!! (Glomps the fore-mentioned reviewers and drowns them in bishonen plushies.) Well, now that that's done with, it is time to OFICIALLY start the fic! YOSH! (Note: There are songs in this chapter. To enjoy the chapter fully, you'd probably want to listen to the songs while reading this fic. Just a suggestion!)
Chapter 11: The Green Eyes of Jealousy
"WATER FLAIL!" Sakura cried, as she destroyed the 18th core of the 18th Demon Larvae for the 18th time that week. Like all the others, the Demon Larvae gave a loud cry, and then perished to ashes. Sighing heavily, the Cherry Blossom Princess touched down onto the ground and defused from Himura. Tenshi and Hiniku sprinted over to where they were hiding and joined the Leafe Knights crowding around Sakura.
"You alright, Saku-chan?" Hiniku asked concernedly, as Tenshi handed her sister/friend a bottle of water, which Sakura accepted gratefully. It took the 16-year-old a while to reply as she took a deep swig of water from the bottle; but when she finally swallowed, Sakura breathed,
"Yeah…"
"You sure? The knuckleheads aren't pushing you too hard?" Hitori butted in, her little comment earning her a glare from the elder Leafe Knights. Sakura giggled.
"Nah, I'm alright. But damn, what's with the mad rush of Demon Larvae as soon as we get back?! Ever since we left the summer house, it's been work, work, work, work, WORK!!!" The African-American female ranted in an exhausted and annoyed fashion.
"Such is the life of the Pretear. Sucks to be you, doesn't it, Saku?" Tenshi teased, and Sakura kicked at her, a vein pulsing in her temple.
"All I'm SAYING," the tora-like teen continued, shooting a resentful glare towards her so-called 'best friend', "Is that when the hell am I gonna get a BREAK?!"
"Heh, try to remember that we Leafe Knights have to work just as hard as you do, Sakura." Saitoshi reminded her, gesturing towards a panting Himura on the floor, with Shinta trying his best to fan his friend. Instantly feeling guilty for her selfish ways at the sight of Himura, Sakura kneeled down and hugged the 8-year-old Leafe Knight of Water.
"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard today, Himura-chan." The Cherry Blossom Princess apologized, holding him close, as if he were her own child. Himura smiled pleasantly and hugged Sakura back.
"Its okay, Sakura-nee-san. I'm a Leafe Knight too." Sakura cooed at Himura's tough cuteness and hugged him once again. Hiro watched the two with a soft look in his auburn eyes.
"She'd make a great mother…" Hiro said quietly to himself. Hitori heard him anyway.
"What does THAT mean, Hiro? Do you want to have children with SAKURA??" She questioned him (in a mercifully quiet voice.) Hiro's face flushed, and he rounded on his twin sister.
"That's NOT what I meant at ALL!" The embarrassed 18-year-old whispered furiously. "I was JUST SAYING."
"You still haven't answered my question though, Hiro." Teased Hitori, a mischievous grin spreading across her pale face. Hiro blushed even more, scowled, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. Finally, he turned away from Hitori to gather his thoughts.
I don't get it…why don't I just deny it? I don't wanna wind up married to Sakura of all people…do I?
"Ah HA! I knew it! You're not sure HOW you feel about Sakura now, are you??" Hitori prodded further, a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Oh SHUT UP!! Damn the twin mind link…" The Leafe Knight of Wind cursed, walking away from Hitori to catch up with the rest of the group, who had already started walking back to the Awayuki Mansion, ready to call it a day.
"Minna-san, can I have your attention please?" Himeno called during dinner. Everyone immediately fell silent and turned obediently towards the head of the table, where Himeno and Hayate were seated. Himeno stood up and tucked a few locks of reddish-brown hair behind her ear, smiling broadly. "I am pleased to announce that the Ishikawa Cosmetics Group, a long-time rival of Awayuki Cosmetics Company, has finally decided to become our business partners!"
"That's great, Mom!" Hitori cheered amidst the loud applause. Himeno's smile brightened.
"Thanks. And to celebrate, I am throwing a ballroom dance party, and you're ALL invited!" At these words, Hiro gagged and spewed out his soda all over his self.
"You're joking…" Hiro said weakly, praying silently that his mother was not serious. Himeno's face suddenly took on a stern look.
"I'm quite serious about this, Hiro. And as my son and the step-grandson of Natsue, the leader of Awayuki Cosmetics Company, you are required to attend the ball. NO EXCUSES!!!" Himeno concluded in a shout, taking a fighting stance with a demonic gleam in her eyes, ready to crack Hiro's head in two like a ton of bricks. Hiro and his father sweatdropped, and Hitori smiled nervously at the rest of the table, as if to say "I'm sorry my mother is so psycho; our family has a lot of issues."
"Yes ma'am." Hiro finally muttered, looking down at his plate, his face burning with embarrassment. Almost instantly, Himeno's pleasant demeanor returned, and she smiled brightly at everyone else.
"Sheesh, talk about mood swings…" Hiniku murmured just loud enough for Tenshi and Sakura to hear, all three of them snickering at the comment.
"So, who's going to attend the party?" Hayate questioned. A certain black-haired green-eyed 17-year-old whom we haven't seen for the past 2 chapters (XD) grinned and wrapped an arm around Sakura's shoulders.
"Saku-chan and I will go. It'll be one of those rare occasions that I get to see you all dressed up." Kenji flirted, kissing his girlfriend lightly on the cheek. Blushing, Sakura gently pushed Kenji away.
"Easy there, buddy. We're in public." She reminded him.
"Pfft. That's never stopped you before…" Tenshi muttered, only to narrowly avoid a swing from Sakura and her Daddy Frying Pan. Feeling eyes on her, Sakura's curious chocolate brown orbs searched up and down the table to find the source. Her eyes fell upon Hiro, who was watching her with the most peculiar look in his auburn eyes.
Eh? What's with Hiro all of a sudden…? The Cherry Blossom Princess wondered to herself, raising an eyebrow slightly at his actions. Hiro started, and blushed deeply at being caught (once again) staring at Sakura. Yet, he didn't look away. A small, shy, almost adorable smile spread slowly across his face as he continued to gaze at Sakura. The tora-like teen's eyes widened as a burning sensation crept its way into her cheeks. Just a few weeks ago, Sakura would have found this gesture disturbing, and she would have hit the Knight of Wind for acting like such a freak. But now…
Oh…Hiro, why are you staring at me like that? Please, don't…It makes it hard for me to look away… Sakura's heart rate began to increase, and she suddenly felt woozy.
"Ungh…" The African-American female groaned, placing the head in the palm of her right hand and swaying just a bit.
"Sakura?" Kenji said, his voice raising in slight alarm, which of course caused several people at the dinner table's heads to swivel about to see what was going on. Not wishing to cause a scene, it took most of Sakura's effort to sit up straight and put on a smile.
"No, it's nothing, I'm fine. Fine." She stated with more emphasis, since Kenji showed every sign of objecting. Still not convinced, the 17-year-old looked around for the source of Sakura's distress, for he had seen her staring at something…or someone. His and the auburn eyes of Hiro met for a split second, and a fierce emerald flame ignited in Kenji's green irises as he glowered at the 18-year-old. Hiro only glared back half-heartedly, and then turned away, cradling his chin in his right hand while sighing to himself.
Dammit, you idiot! What are you thinking?? She already has an "oh-so-wonderful" boyfriend…what would she want with you…? Er, that is, if you even LIKED her… The Leafe Knight of Wind thought to himself. After a few seconds, Kenji finally gave up the attempt at trying to sear Hiro with his eyes, stole a worried glance at Sakura, and looked down at his own plate.
I don't like this, He thought, frowning deeply. I don't like this AT ALL. That guy is slowly worming his way into Sakura's heart, I know it; I can feel it. Every time she's near him, every time she looks at him, every time she frikin speaks to him…I hate it. I hate that she pays so much attention to him. I hate…I hate…I HATE HIM. An invisible, yet powerful wave of darkness overtook the 17-year-old and he stood up abruptly, knocking over his dining chair in the process. Now the whole dining room was staring, even the maids. He had both his hands pressed over pressed over his face, as if suffering from a massive headache. Sakura, who was now over her brief "dizzy spell", stood up as well and placed a cautious hand on Kenji's right forearm, her cocoa face full of concern.
"Kenji…?" She asked somewhat timidly. The sound of Sakura's voice made Kenji look up. The Cherry Blossom Princess' eyes widened as she stared into Kenji's suddenly miasmic purple eyes. Slowly, the 17-year-old pulled away from Sakura's grasp, and said in a deep voice that did not belong to him:
"My head aches. I'm going to bed. Please do not disturb me." And, without the usual smile to his beloved, Kenji departed from the dining room, leaving an eerie silence in his wake. Himeno blinked multiple times, and tilted her head to the side.
"Ano…Sakura-chan? Is something the matter with Kenji-kun?"
"That wasn't Kenji." Sakura replied in a low voice, her back to everyone, staring at the double doors Kenji had just disappeared through.
"Eh? 'Not Kenji'? Who else COULD he be??" Hitori wanted to know. The African-American teen didn't hear her though; she was lost in the thoughts swirling in her head, the light in her brown eyes shifting from fear, hurt, and confusion.
Whoa…Purple is and always will be my favorite color, but THAT shade of violet was…frightening. Who was that man? That look in his eyes…I didn't recognize him at all. And what the hell did he do with MY Kenji???
"Ready?" Hitori asked, as she straightened the belt on her white hakama.
"Girl, I was born ready!" Tenshi proclaimed, finishing up her leg stretching and taking a fighting stance. Hitori smiled, a mischievous glint in her auburn eyes.
"Very good." She said and, without warning, hurled a shiny, sharp and heavy object. Directed right at Tenshi! But the angelic teen was quick; she caught the sword flawlessly and effortlessly by the handle.
"Bewii? What's this?" The 15-year-old wanted to know, quirking an eyebrow. (A/N: Spending a bit too much time with Kai, I see. XD)
"Shiny, big and sharp sword." Hitori answered, pulling out her own blade of destruction. Tenshi sweatdropped.
"I KNOW what it is. But why do we need swords?" She questioned further, though she was pretty sure that, in the back of her mind, she already knew the answer…
"To spar, silly!" Hitori replied with a grin, as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe. Poor Tenshi then suffered through an anime fall.
"But I've never sparred with an actual sword before!" She blurted out. "The wooden shinai are my thing!" Hitori's pale face now bore an evil grin.
"What's wrong? You're not up for a new challenge? Are you CHICKEN???" And with that, Hitori broke out into a series of arm-flapping movements and clucking. That was enough to rouse Tenshi's pride into action, and she took on a defensive stance, her eyes brimming with determination.
"That's more like it." Hiro's twin said with a satisfied smirk, as she went on the offensive. With the alarming rate of a cheetah, the 18-year-old sped towards Tenshi, the excitement of the match fueling her footsteps. Letting out a yelp of surprise, Tenshi leapt out of the way just in time and met Hitori's assault head-on with her own blade. The clash of metal resulted in a deafening clang, yet Hiniku, Sakura, Kai, and the Leafe Knights (minus Hiro, who was off somewhere else…) did not flinch as they stared on, mesmerized by the fight. Hitori continued her relentless attack on Tenshi, and the angelic teen, faced with this new and difficult task, was becoming increasingly frustrated of trying to keep up by struggling. Just then, a voice that sounded all-too-familiar resonated within Tenshi's head.
"C'mon Tensh! You can do this, I know you can! Beat Hitori! Or at least TIE with her! One of the two!"
The star-obsessed teen looked over to where Sakura was watching. The African-American female gave her best friend an encouraging smile. But…her lips weren't moving. What's the problem with that, you ask? Well, when you hear people's voices in your head, and they are not talking, something's not right with this picture. However, before Tenshi could marvel over this strange phenomenon, Hiniku opened her mouth and her loud voice penetrated the room.
"TENSHI, LOOK OUT!!" She screeched.
"Bewii?" Tenshi looked around just in time to watch Hitori's blade swing down onto her. "AAAAAHHH!!" The star-obsessed teen shrieked, barely blocking the blow, but being pushed back against the wall.
"No where to run." Hitori drawled, smirking evilly and charging once again.
"Tenshi! FOCUS!!" Sakura's voice screamed within the angelic teen's head, and, finally, Tenshi managed to snap out of her stupor. With a focused cry, Tenshi met Hitori's attack head-on, and you could actually see sparks flying from both the clashing metal and the opponent's eyes. They continued to meet like that a few more times, Tenshi trying to knock Hitori's sword out of her grasp, and Hitori being too fast and blocking every swing.
Okay, time to take it up a notch. I WON'T let Hitori and her stupid sword techniques beat me!! Tenshi's thoughts proclaimed, her determined fire blazing even brighter. Suddenly, the star-obsessed teen lashed out and kicked Hitori square in the gut, making the 18-year-old lose her breath. "Hey, you never said no kicking!" Tenshi said in her defense, swinging around behind Hitori to make her drop to the ground with a well-aimed Palm Heel Thrust. However, Hitori recovered quickly and spun around, using her leg to trip up the unsuspecting Tenshi. In her surprise, Tenshi quickly flipped over the kneeling Hitori's form and struck…
The next moment, Tenshi was on the ground, her sword a good 5 feet away. The angelic teen was now at Hitori's mercy, the menacing sword pointed straight at her heart. Hitori allowed a victorious and arrogant smirk to grace her features.
"Ha! A black belt, eh? If you honestly can't do any better, you might as well go back to being a white be-huh?" While she was speaking, Hitori's hair tie began to loosen, and finally, it came undone, letting her long auburn hair fall all the way down to her thighs. Sakura and company blinked excessively.
What had just happened here?
Slowly, Hitori kneeled down, placing her sword to the side, picked up her hair tie, and inspected it. It seemed that the hair tie had been cut clean through.
But how? Hitori looked over at Tenshi, who was smirking.
"Looks like I managed to get at least one hit in." The angelic teen boasted, when her right sleeve suddenly slid off her arm and onto the floor. "…" Hitori grinned.
"I guess I got in a hit too!" She stood up and held out a hand to Tenshi, helping the 15-year-old to her feet. "Great match, you really gave me a run for my money! Let's call it a tie, alright?" Hitori offered, shaking Tenshi's hand. Tenshi shook back, but another smirk was planted on her face.
"Sure, but how about a quick tie-breaker? This time, we play on MY terms." Hitori raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.
"Oh? And what terms would those be?"
"You'll find out…" Tenshi said, still smirking and leading the way out of the training room, everyone else trooping behind her.
"DIE DIE DIE DIE DIEEEEEE!!!!" Screamed a certain ice-blue banged teen, as she mashed the buttons on her Playstation 2 controller, locked in a fierce battle against Hitori in Soul Calibur III. On the couch behind them, Sakura, Hiniku and Kai were seated, sweatdropping heavily.
"Okay, um, quick question: Who saw this coming?" Hiniku asked.
"Knowing Tenshi, who DIDN'T see this coming?" Kai replied, with an "Amen" from Sakura. A few more minutes of mindless button mashing ensued, and then…
"Oh my gosh…I won. I WON!!! IT'S A MIRACLE!!!!" Tenshi cried, and, in her enthusiasm, she started to do the Running Man. Himura burst out laughing at his foolish "older sister", and the rest of the Leafe Knights (except a still absent Hiro) just sweatdropped with comical looks on their faces. Hitori pouted.
"No fair, you knocked me out of the ring! Best 2 out of 3!"
"Um, 'Tori-chan, that's how you WIN Soul Calibur III! And YOU lost 2 out of 3 rounds in a row!" Tenshi informed Hiro's twin, not hesitating to boast her victory over the 18-year-old.
The taunting soon ceased; however, for Kenji had entered the living room. Everyone fell silent, recalling the episode that occurred last night, and how Sakura had stated that Kenji wasn't himself…they wondered what mayhem he would reap today. But Kenji didn't seem too hostile today. The 17-year-old's long black hair was out and all over his head, making him look like a black-maimed lion, and he was rubbing the sleepiness out of his jade green eyes as he yawned and stretched. The night before, Sakura had mentioned to Tenshi and Hiniku that, for some strange reason, Kenji's eyes were an unusual color of purple. Curious, Hiniku stood up from where she was sitting on the couch and sauntered up to Kenji, standing on tip-toe to stare into his eyes. Kenji merely blinked sleepily and confusedly at the fiery Asian.
"G'morning to you too, Hiniku-chan." The 17-year-old yawned, his drowsiness wearing away slowly.
"Um, actually, it's "Good Afternoon," Kenji-kun." Tenshi corrected him, jerking her thumb towards a near-by clock, which read 1:32.
"Meh, Konnichi wa, then." Kenji grumbled, seemingly not caring what time of day it was. He trudged over to the couch and stopped in front of Sakura, staring expectantly down at her. She merely stared back up at him, trying hard not to let her fear show.
"…Well?" Kenji spoke up at last. "Don't I get a hug from my sweet and beautiful girlfriend?" Tenshi and Hiniku mimed gagging behind Kenji, but the Cherry Blossom Princess paid them no heed. She smiled weakly up at Kenji and embraced him, but with less welcome than usual.
Well, I guess it's safe to be around him today…for now… Sakura thought, as a playful smirk graced her features. She tugged on a strand of her boyfriend's hair.
"Koishii, did you get into a fight with a blender and lose before you went to bed?" Sakura chided.
Kenji smirked back, recognizing the playful tone in her voice. "Well, if you think it's so messy, why don't YOU fix it for me?" He challenged.
Sakura raised an eyebrow and ruffled her boyfriend's hair further. "Eh, I guess I COULD do something with it…but it'll cost you!" She teased.
Kenji pretended to pout. "Aww…well, how much are you charging?" He wanted to know.
Sakura grinned. "How much ya got?"
"Meh, I'm broke…" A devilish smile lit up Kenji's face as he brought Sakura closer to him and kissed her neck. "But I think we can arrange something…" Kenji whispered in his girlfriend's ear, a suggestive tone in his voice. Blushing, the 16-year-old nudged him in the stomach, and he backed away a bit.
"Perv." An embarrassed Sakura muttered, and Kenji grinned mischievously down at her.
"You know you like it…" He said.
"GET A ROOM!!!!" Tenshi finally shouted at the couple, and the room erupted into laughter. Kenji and Sakura flushed; it seemed they forgot they were in a room full of their friends. The African-American teen then hugged Kenji and stuck out her tongue at her friend/sister.
"Hey, I can kiss my boyfriend in public all I want!" She sassed and, just to prove her point, kissed the 17-year-old on the spot.
"Awwww!" Hiniku and Garnet cooed tauntingly, but the couple was too busy practically eating each other's faces to notice and/or care.
"Hitori, Mom wants us to-" Hitori's twin brother started as he entered the living room, but then he stopped short upon seeing the public display of affection taking place in the middle of the room. Recognizing the voice, Sakura abruptly broke the kiss and stared into Hiro's eyes, biting her lower lip in guilt. Kenji smirked triumphantly at the Knight of Wind, slipping a not-so-subtle arm around his girlfriend's waist. But Hiro's attention was on Sakura. He gave her yet another unreadable look, and then turned his attention to his sister.
"Mom wants us in the Dance Studio." He reported, and Hitori's eyes widened.
"The DANCE STUDIO?? Oh boy, THIS can't be good…" Hitori muttered to herself, standing up and reluctantly leading the way to the Dance Studio, with the equally fearful Leafe Knights in tow along with Kai, Tenshi, Hiniku, and Garnet. As Hiro turned to leave, Sakura looked up at Kenji and opened her mouth to say that she needed to go, when Kenji kissed her again…maybe a bit longer than necessary.
When they finally broke for air, Kenji said, "Go ahead and practice with Tenshi and them. I'm going into town. I found this really good doctor's office, and I promised them that I'd stop by again today."
"Okay." Sakura agreed, hugging her boyfriend goodbye. Once he left, the tora-like teen stepped out into the hallway, wondering where everyone else was, when she almost ran smack-dab (again) into Hiro.
"WHOA!" She yelped, jumping back at the Knight of Wind's sudden appearance. "Where'd YOU come from??"
"Blame my parents." Hiro retorted, giving Sakura a half smile before jerking his head towards the end of the hallway and starting to walk that way, which was a gesture for the 16-year-old to follow. As she trailed along behind him, Sakura shifted a bit uncomfortably. This silence was killing her. Should she talk to him? What should they talk about? Should she clear the air about…what just happened? Why should she? It wasn't as if she felt any guilt about it…right?
/Pfft. Yeah you do. / Her conscience spoke up at the most annoying time possible. / You feel guilty because you LIKE him, remember?? /
"Oh, SHUT UP!" Sakura burst out suddenly, and Hiro stopped to turn and shot her a "WTF?" look.
"You talking to the voices in your head again, Sakura-chan?" He inquired. Sakura blushed yet again at the "-chan" part added yet again, but she managed to glare at the 18-year-old.
"Quit mocking me." She warned. Hiro shrugged and continued to walk down the hallway. Sakura continued to follow him, her rage giving her courage to speak up.
"Uh, Hiro…" The new Knight of Wind stopped and turned around to fully face Sakura, a quizzical look in his auburn eyes.
"What is it?" He asked. Sakura's new-found courage suddenly left her again, and she was left with a dry mouth and nothing to say.
"Um…" She started, trying to find the right words. "Uh, what you saw back there…wasn't what you thought it was." She finished lamely, blushing, as she referred to Hiro walking in on her and Kenji's make-out fest. Hiro quirked an eyebrow.
"What wasn't what I thought it was??" The 18-year-old wanted to know, looking confused. Sakura blinked and blushed once more.
Great. She had just attempted to apologize for making out with her boyfriend in front of him (she's not sure why she feels she has to either), and he has no idea what she's talking about! At least, that's how it seemed…
"Uh, uh…nevermind!" The Cherry Blossom Princess cried out suddenly, running past Hiro to catch up with the others, too embarrassed to look Hiro in the eye anymore.
The 18-year-old let her run past and stared after her retreating form. A soft smile graced his features.
"She's such a goof…" He said to himself in a rather…affectionate manner, and then he too went on his way to the Dance Studio.
"Welcome to the Dance Studio!" Himeno greeted rather enthusiastically, as the group entered the vast room. The whole room was coated in mirrors, and the floor was a shiny type of wood, like the kind used for tap-dancing classes. "Now, I assume that NONE of our guests know how to ballroom dance. Correct me if I'm wrong…" Himeno paused, as if waiting for someone to raise their hand and claim they could ballroom dance six ways from Sunday. When no hands were shown, the former Pretear went on. "Okay. Well then, this whole afternoon will be dedicated to learning how to ballroom dance. The Leafe Knights, Hitori, Garnet and I know how to dance, so if you need help, just ask. Okay, partner up!"
Immediately, Hiniku latched onto Saitoshi's arm, though they both knew dancing together was going to be a difficult task due to Hiniku's "height issue." (XD) Kato and Moki began to squabble (once again) over which one of them would be Tenshi's dancing partner when Kai, who was a fast learner, sent them one of his "Go-Die-In-A-Hole" glares, and they scurried away quickly like two frightened rats. Garnet and Himura, being the sweet little kids that they are, wound up dancing together just for the fun of it, and Shinta spun cute little dizzy circles around them. Hitori and Gaki partnered up to present the proper technique to the other partners, and everyone tried their best to mimic what they were doing. Himeno put on some ballroom music to play, and she walked around and inspected the swirling dancers, once in a while stopping to give a few pointers to the beginners.
"Tsk, Sakura! You're late! I hope you won't be late for the banquet!" Himeno somewhat scolded as a breathless Sakura burst through the doors of the studio.
"Gomen…" Sakura bowed after catching her breath. "I got lost-"
"This is why you should've stayed with me." Hiro commented as he arrived through the doors. Sakura took a minute to glare at him, and then glanced around to see what was going on.
"Well, since you two are the only ones left, YOU can be partners!" The reddish-brown haired woman declared, smiling pleasantly. The tora-like teen's eyes widened.
"NANI??" She solicited, trying to make sure that she heard correctly. Rather than repeat herself, Himeno pushed the two together.
"Go on, Hiro!" Himeno urged her son. "Teach Sakura how to dance!"
"Alright alright…" Rolling his eyes, Hiro took Sakura's right hand in his and rested his left hand on her waist. Sakura gulped and kept her head down, trying desperately to copy the way Hiro's feet were moving. Once or twice, she accidentally stepped on Hiro's foot.
"Kuso! I'm sorry, Hiro!" She had apologized for the umpteenth time, as Himeno rushed off to get ice for Hiro's swollen toe. The 18-year-old grimaced, but managed to smile at the tora-like teen.
"It's okay. You're still learning." He responded with a reassuring tone. Sakura's face heated up once more as she stared at the floor, an embarrassed smile on her face. While floating by with Kai, Tenshi's head picked up a stray thought from Sakura.
"Wow. Somehow, Hiro's sweeter to me now. I wonder what happened…" As that thought entered her mind, Tenshi smirked.
YOU happened to him, Saku. You're gonna have to realize this, one way or another…
Kai stared down at Tenshi and, feeling his penetrating gaze, Tenshi turned to look up at him, her innocent smile in place.
"What's up, Kai-kun?" She queried. Kai tilted his head to the side slightly.
"…Just wondering what you're thinking about." He answered. Tenshi's smile brightened, but there was an air of mystery about it.
If only you knew, Kai-kun. If only you knew…
"Ah, the excitement of a banquet. You get to eat good food, meet new people, dance the night away…"
"(CRASH) AHHHH!!!"
"…And try to forget about the mayhem caused by banquet preparations." Hitori finished her mother's sentence, grinning, as Himeno sweatdropped at all the noise that was going on upstairs.
"How is it that three girls can make so much noise preparing for a simple banquet??" The reddish-brown haired woman wondered out loud. Hitori's grin grew wider.
"C'mon, Mom. Weren't YOU that reckless once before??" The 18-year-old asked, referring to the many stories Hayate had told Hiro and herself about their parent's teen years. Himeno sweatdropped once again.
"I wasn't THAT bad…"
"(BOOM) SAKURAAA!! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY EARRINGS?!?!"
"I DON'T HAVE THEM! CHECK WHERE YOU LEFT THEM!!!"
"I DID!! 50 TIMES!!!"
"WELL THEN, ASK THE SHORT ASIAN!!"
"(SMASH) STOP CALLING ME SHORT, DARN YOU!!!"
Even Hitori had to sweatdrop at the amount of noise those three were making two stories up. "Sheesh, I think you're right…"
The guys stood at the foot of the staircase, waiting patiently for the rest of the girls to get ready and go. Poor Saitoshi was starting to get a major headache from all the commotion though…
Dear Kami, PLEASE just let them hurry up already! The Knight of Sound thought, gritting his teeth and rubbing his throbbing temples.
"Having trouble coping?" Saitoshi blinked and looked up to find Kenji standing next to him, looking suave in his black tuxedo, and wearing a sympathetic grin. Saitoshi grimaced back.
"Well, I never knew Hiniku and her friends could be SO LOUD." He explained, cringing. Kenji laughed.
"Yeah, well that's NOTHING compared to when Sakura's pissed or excited about something. Trust me, it ain't pretty. But, when you've spent as much time as I have with her, you get used to it." Saitoshi smirked.
"Boy, do I feel sorry for you then." He teased, and Kenji playfully socked him in the arm. Just then, Hiro strode up. He too looked very dashing in his tux, and his normally wind-tossed hair was slicked back and pulled into a ponytail. He and Kenji glared at each other for a second, and then Kenji stalked off to go wait for Sakura at the end of the hallway.
"Jeez…remind me again why you two hate each other?" Saitoshi wanted to know, raising an eyebrow at his best friend. Hiro merely rolled his eyes at the Knight of Sound and chose not to reply.
"Oh look, here they come!" Hitori announced, and everyone turned their attention towards the top of the staircase. Hiniku made her way down first, wearing a beautiful flowing red gown that was layered with pink, yellow and orange, like the flames of an ember.
"Wow…" Saitoshi said, seemingly breathless. Hiniku's hair was down and flipped out at the end, making her look cute and perky.
She grinned up at the ashen-haired teen. "I know, I look fabulous." Slipping her arm through his, the two stepped out into the night and made their way to the next building over, where the party was being held.
Tenshi came floating down next. Kato and Moki positively drooled over the deep blue kimono-style dress she was wearing, complete (of course) with star designs and gold star accessories. Her long mahogany hair was pulled back into a bun, two blue chopsticks going through it as well. Tenshi's stalkers rushed forward to squabble over who would escort Tenshi to the ball when Kai stepped forward to save them the trouble. He offered his black-suited arm to Tenshi as a soft smile graced his…HE-LLO…triangle-less face. The star-obsessed teen smiled kindly back at him, and they were almost through the door before Tenshi realized an important piece was missing in this picture. Telling Kai she would be right back, she stomped over to the bottom of the staircase and yelled up: "SAKURA MURASAKI PETALA!!! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!!" A loud groan was heard from somewhere near the top of the staircase.
"Do I HAVE to???" Sakura's voice whined.
Tenshi's glare grew darker. "Sakura, if you don't come down here RIGHT NOW, I'm gonna tell EVERYBODY your most recent secret!" A gasp was heard from the top of the staircase.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! Jeez, YES Mom…"
Tenshi's face lit up in a victorious smirk as the hem of Sakura's dress appeared at the foot of the steps. As she made her way down the stairs, she kept her chocolate brown eyes locked onto the carpet passing under her feet. Which is why she didn't notice the way Hiro was staring at her as she descended from the staircase.
The African-American teen was dressed in a flowing and elegant light lavender-colored strapless dress that showed off her figure, with a blush pink cape clasped onto it that billowed out behind her. Tenshi and Hiniku had bought and forced the silver heels on her feet on her, and she only consented to wear them because she got to have the pretty silver jewelry they bought to match the heels. Her hair was half pulled up into a high ponytail, with the rest of it cascading around her shoulders.
Whoa…Sakura cleans up good…REALLY good…The 18-year-old found himself thinking, and he shook his head in an attempt to clear it of such thoughts.
It didn't work too well.
"Happy?" Sakura growled, glaring at her friend/sister for humiliating her this way. Sure, she liked the color, but did Tenshi and Hiniku HAVE to buy her a dress??? She HATED how she looked in dresses! But did her so-called "best friends" listen to a WORD of her protests? You guessed it: NO.
Tenshi's mischievous grin broadened. "Yup! …Though, I think someone ELSE is happier about it…" The angelic teen trailed off on purpose, nodding her head to Hiro. Sakura turned to look at him over her shoulder, and his face immediately went red. The Cherry Blossom Princess turned around fully to face Hiro, her hands clasped in front of her as she stared at the ground in an embarrassed silence, a blush creeping into her cheeks.
Aw man…I REALLY hoped Hiro wouldn't see me like this! He's so used to seeing me in jeans; what's he gonna think of me turning all girly now?? Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration, reminding herself to get back and Hiniku and Tenshi somehow, someday.
"Um…" Hiro finally decided to speak up, and Sakura glanced up at him expectantly. His face was still a bit red, but a soft look overtook his facial features. "You look…breath-taking, Sakura." He admitted truthfully, smiling just a bit. Sakura blinked and grinned back, finally loosening up.
"Well thank you, you look nice too, Hiro…" The tora-like teen walked carefully over to the Knight of Wind, trying not to fall flat on her face in her heels, and ruffled up his slicked-back hair. "But with your hair looking like that, you just don't look like you!" She finished smirking.
Hiro cringed and attempted to look annoyed with the 16-year-old before him. "Hey! Dad spent half a tub of gel trying to get my hair to lie flat!" He complained, but then half-grinned at Sakura. He hated his hair in the slicked-back fashion anyways. Sakura was about to retort when a strong arm snaked its way across her waist, and she was pulled into the broad chest of her boyfriend.
"Oof!" She yelped in surprise, and Kenji possessively held her.
"There you are. I've been waiting forever!" The black-haired teen ranted and, with a fierce glance at Hiro that shouted quite plainly, "Stay AWAY from my girl…" he whisked Sakura away into the night.
"Hello? Yes, this is Mrs. Awayuki…uh-huh…yes, wait what? Well, no, but…What do you MEAN you're canceling?!" Himeno shouted into her phone, getting strange looks from her guests, but she didn't care. Flipping loose strands of her reddish-brown hair out of her face, the former Pretear began to get a bit snippy with the unfortunate soul on the other end of the line.
"Listen, tonight is a very important night for me. If you don't show up, the whole thing will be absolutely ruined! …Well, you'd BETTER be sorry! …Yes, but that's STILL not good enough! Where in the world am I supposed to find entertainment at such SHORT notice?! …Hello? Hello?? Oh, GREAT!!" She shrieked, grabbing the attention of Hiniku, Tenshi and Sakura, who were chatting and drinking punch by the snack table.
"Daijoubu desu ka, Himeno-san?" Sakura asked, a confused look etched into her features.
Himeno sighed harshly and ran a stressed hand through her hair. "The band I booked for tonight's show just called to say they've cancelled! Apparently, the lead singer got some weird food poisoning for microwaving a Starburst, or something stupid like that…" The girls before Himeno exchanged glances, silently thanking the good lord that they had always been caught when attempting that little experiment…
"So NOW we have no entertainment!" The former Pretear sighed again. Tenshi and Sakura exchanged looks once more and, with a slight nod from Sakura, Tenshi spoke up.
"Well, why don't Hiniku, Sakura and I perform?" She offered. Himeno's eyes widened.
"You can play instruments? Like in a band?" The girls made faces.
"No, but our pipes are pretty good." Hiniku promised, referring to their singing skills. Himeno's face lit up in a miracle grin as she hugged the three girls.
"Oh, thank you SO much! You guys have NO IDEA how much this means to me!!!" Himeno let go, her face suddenly serious again. "But, need I remind you, this is a formal banquet. So, nothing that has TOO much pop…alright?" The reddish-brown haired woman pleaded. The "HST" group exchanged glances yet again, and identical smiles lit their faces as they each held up two fingers to signal a "Scout's Honor."
"You have our word!" They recited together. Himeno let herself relax as she grinned yet again at the girls.
Poor Himeno.
Had she known Sakura, Tenshi and Hiniku just a little bit better, she would have taken notice to the fact that their oath sounded too rehearsed; their smiles were too angelic…and the fact that all three of them had their left hands behind their backs, their index and middle fingers crossed.
If Himeno could read minds, she would know that when they made that vow, Tenshi, Hiniku, and Sakura were thinking "Psyche!" at the same time.
"Attention! Attention everyone!" Sakura called through the microphone, and the dance floor immediately fell silent.
"Did she really need the mic, with how loud she is?" Tenshi muttered under her breath to her Asian friend. The two shared a guilty fit of giggles, and Sakura shot them a pointed glare.
Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the crowd. "I'm sorry to say that tonight's entertainment could not make it."
There was an outcry of "awws" and disappointed muttering from the guests. At this point, Tenshi got into one of her eccentric moods and grabbed the mic.
"But fear not! WE, the HST Group, are filling in! And don't worry, we each have a shred of talent, so you won't be nauseated by our singing!" An appreciative chuckle went around the room at this comment. Hiniku then took the mic.
"And, for our first song, we've decided to sing "Future Girls" by Smile.dk!" The few in the room who knew the song cheered approvingly, and Himeno's eyes widened.
"I SAID no pop! You gave your word!" She hissed from backstage. Devilish grins spread across the plotting HST Group's faces.
"We had our fingers crossed!" They chorused together, sticking out their tongues. Before Himeno could storm up the stage and cancel the whole thing, Hitori obligingly started the music. Her mother groaned and slapped her forehead in a "Why Me?" fashion as Sakura, Hiniku and Tenshi took their places onstage.
"We are the Future Girls!
Diamonds and castles,
Heroes, Kings and Pharaohs,
A world full of shiny stones and pearls.
Times are now changing,
All of this means nothing,
In this crazy universe,
Cuz we're the Future Girls!
And we move round and round in circles,
Round and round again,
Cuz our mission is the Future,
And the Future never ends!
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
The Future Girls!
(Oh-oh-oh!)
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
And the Future never ends!"
After Sakura was finished with her part, she stepped back and let Tenshi and Hiniku have their duet, with Tenshi singing the higher soprano part.
"Space crew recruiters,
Data and computers,
All part of modern life on Earth.
Faster and better,
Nothing lasts forever,
In this crazy universe,
Cuz we're the Future Girls!
And we move round and round in circles,
Round and round again,
Cuz our mission is the Future,
And the Future never ends!
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
The Future Girls!
(Oh-oh-oh!)
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
And the Future never ends!
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
The Future Girls!
(Oh-oh-oh!)
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
And the Future never ends!
All three girls gathered around the mic to sing the last part of the song. So far, the crowd loved it, and even Himeno had to admit it.
"Round and round in circles,
Round and round again,
Cuz our mission is the Future (future, future, future, future, future)…"
While the techno beat was playing, Sakura and her friends braced themselves. They were about to get VERY dizzy. As the lyrics continued, they spun around like the music said.
"And we move round and round in circles,
Round and round again,
Cuz our mission is the Future,
And the Future never ends!
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
The Future Girls!
(Oh-oh-oh!)
We are the Future Girls!
(Woah!)
And the Future never ends!
We are the Future Girls!"
The HST Group ended their song with a "Charlie's Angels" pose, Hiniku and Tenshi kneeling back-to-back with their hands positioned as pistols, and Sakura standing behind them, her "pistol" pointed towards the audience.
And the crowd goes wild!! Sakura thought, beaming, as the audience screamed persistently for an encore. Tenshi and Hiniku grinned victoriously at Sakura, and the three of them took a bow and stepped off the stage to dance the rest of the night away.
"This sucks."
Though it had been muttered, Saitoshi still picked up on the sentence uttered by Hiro a few feet away.
"What's your problem? Besides the usual stuff, that is." The Knight of Sound asked, approaching Hiro. The 18-year-old shot his best friend a look, and then returned his gaze to the ground.
"Mom's making me dance at the end of the ball."
"So? That's not so bad…"
Hiro had a rueful expression on his face. "On a SLOW song. With a GIRL. In front of EVERYONE."
"Oh…" Saitoshi cringed in sympathy for his friend; ever since Keiko disappeared, Hiro had been completely anti-social. Since the arrival of Sakura and company, however, he seemed to have opened up a bit more.
But that still didn't change the fact that having to do this sort of thing made him freeze up in agony.
"Well…do you see any girl here you'd like to dance with?" The ashen-haired teen asked, trying to lighten Hiro's burden. The 18-year-old gave Saitoshi a dry look, and Saitoshi took this as a 'no.' "Um, okay…how about Hitori?"
"EW. She's my SISTER, for Kami's sake!" Hiro growled at the violet-eyed teen, and Saitoshi rose his hands in a "Whoa, Nelly" fashion.
"Alright, alright, calm down. Um…how about I let you borrow Hiniku?"
"Excuse me? YOU may be fine with the height issue because you're in love with her, but I'm not, thank you." Hiro received a punch on the arm from the vengeful Saitoshi for that.
"Fine. What about Tenshi?"
"And have her violent-tempered Russian boyfriend murder me for no reason? Yeah right. Besides, she's too snippy."
Saitoshi rolled his eyes. "Beggars can't be choosers, you know."
"Who says I'm begging? I'd rather not be at this stupid party anyhow."
"Tsk. You should support your mother."
"Why can't I support her from my room at home?"
Saitoshi sighed. Sometimes Hiro was as stubborn as an ass, and there was no helping that.
"Okay. How about Sakura?"
At the mention of the certain new Pretear's name, Hiro's attention turned towards the stage, where when CD's of dancing music weren't playing, Sakura, Hiniku and Tenshi were lighting up the stage and shaking things up on occasion.
"…As if her psycho of a boyfriend would let me get anywhere near her…" The auburn-haired and eyed teen muttered bitterly, his eyes back on the ground.
"…Hiro…do I hear a note of regret in your voice? Do you WANT to dance with Sakura??" Saitoshi suddenly bombarded the Knight of Wind with questions, getting Hiro even more irritated by the second.
What the hell is with Hitori and Saitoshi trying to match me up with Sakura all of a sudden???
'You like her…'
Hiro blinked. Where did THAT thought come from?? He certainly didn't think it…
'You like her…' The voice in his head said again. The 18-year-old's face flushed, and he scowled for letting himself be caught so off-guard.
Listen, you. Hiro growled to the inside of his head, since he didn't have any other idea how to address the voice. You don't know me. So HOW could possibly know how I feel about ANYTHING??
The voice seemed to chuckle.
'You're rather loud with your thoughts, Hiro, whether you realize it or not. And though you may not see it, they speak of your emotions LOUD and CLEAR. Whether you want to acknowledge those feelings is completely up to you.'
The voice seemed to leave Hiro, and he was left to ponder its words.
Meanwhile, as she was walking down from the stage from singing yet another song with her two BFF's, Tenshi grinned.
So, not only can I hear Sakura's thoughts, I can also hear and respond to thoughts regarding Sakura! I will NEVER cease to amaze myself! Oh yeah, Note to Self: Tell Sakura about these new-found powers somewhere in the near future. Ha! And she thought SHE was the only magical one of the family!
Himeno watched as Sakura, Hitori and Garnet set up onstage. Sakura had come up to her earlier that night and requested to sing a song before the ball was over, and she had enlisted the piano skills of Hitori and the violin-playing of Garnet. When questioned on what song she wanted to sing, Sakura replied with a serious expression: "It's something I've wanted to get off my chest for awhile…"
Hmm…I wonder what it could be…Guess I'll find out. Himeno thought to herself as she waited backstage with Tenshi and Hiniku for the song to begin.
Sakura rested lightly against the piano, a mini microphone attached to her dress so she wouldn't have to hold a microphone the whole time. She gave Hitori a slight nod, and the 18-year-old began to strike the keys on the piano with precision, soon accompanied by Garnet on her violin. The African-American teen counted how many beats were left in her head until she performed, and when there were none left, she began to sing.
"Story of my life,
Searching for the Right,
But it keeps avoiding me.
Sorrow in my soul,
Cuz it seems that Wrong
Really loves my company.
He's more than a man,
And this is more than love,
The reason that the sky is blue.
But the clouds are rolling in,
Because I'm gone again,
And to him I just can't be true.
And I know that he knows
I'm Unfaithful
And it kills him inside,
To know that I am happy with some other guy…
I can see him dying.
I don't want to do this anymore,
I don't wanna be the reason why.
Every time I walk out the door,
I see him die a little more inside.
I don't wanna hurt him anymore,
I don't wanna take away his life…
I don't wanna be…
A murderer."
While Sakura was singing the first verse, Hiro joined his mother and Sakura's friends backstage, watching Sakura perform.
Her voice, usually so beautiful, is now filled with so much anguish. He thought to himself, a sorrowful look in his eyes to see Sakura's suffering face out there, even if she was only doing it for added affect to the song. I…I want to be the one to take her pain away. But, how do I do that…?
Tenshi, who was right beside Hiro, heard all of his thoughts, and a devilish grin spread across her face.
Here's how… She silently answered him, and, when the end of the first verse and chorus of the song came, Tenshi shoved him onstage towards Sakura. The 18-year-old stumbled clumsily onto the stage, catching himself at the last minute to avoid kissing the floor of the stage. He WOULD have turned back and glowered fiercely at Tenshi, but found it hard to do that since 1.) Kai would see him and threaten to have him sleeping with the fishes, and 2.) The whole crowd and Sakura were staring at him, wondering why the heck he flew onto the stage so suddenly.
Crap. How do I explain this one? He wondered, gritting his teeth in frustration. Stupid Tenshi!
'I heard that. And dance with her.' Hiro's eyes widened. He was hearing voices again. Had he truly, FINALLY lost it??
'No, I'm just here temporarily. Now dance with her!'
The Knight of Wind frowned. Fine, if it'll get you to go away…
Sakura blinked confusedly as Hiro approached her, a hand outstretched and offered to her. An odd wave of Déjà vu struck her as she hesitantly placed her own hand in Hiro's. He began to dance with her, and Sakura, feeling like she was in a trance as she stared into Hiro's auburn eyes, continued to sing.
"I feel it in the air,
As I'm doing my hair,
Preparing for another day.
A kiss up on my cheek,
He's here reluctantly,
As if I'm gonna be out late.
I say I won't be long,
Just hanging with the girls,
A lie I didn't have to tell…
Because we both know
Where I'm about to go.
And we know it very well.
Cuz I know that he knows
I'm Unfaithful,
And it kills him inside,
To know that I am happy
With some other guy…
I can see him dying.
I don't wanna do this anymore,
I don't wanna be the reason why.
And every time I walk out the door,
I see him die a little more inside.
I don't wanna hurt him anymore,
I don't want to take away his life…
I don't wanna be…
A murderer."
As she sang, Hiro spun her around so that her back was against his chest, and they danced that way for a while.
She smells so good… Hiro found himself thinking hazily, as he inhaled the aroma from Sakura's neck.
"Our love,
His trust,
I might as well take a gun
And put it to his head,
Get it over with…
I don't wanna do this…
Anymore…"
I don't know what to do… Sakura found herself thinking as she sang. I know I'm supposed to love Kenji and ONLY Kenji…but I'm falling fast and hard for Hiro. This is so bad that there's not even a word to describe how bad it is…but he's really warm… Sakura sub-consciously snuggled closer to Hiro as they danced and she sang.
"I don't wanna do this anymore,
I don't wanna be the reason why.
And every time I walk out the door,
I see die him die a little more inside.
And I don't wanna hurt him anymore,
I don't wanna take away his life…
I don't wanna be…
A murderer."
As Sakura sang the last notes of the song, Hiro had turned her around once more to face him. She saw so many emotions running through his eyes, and inside, she felt the same, with her heart fitting to burst with how she was feeling right now. Without warning, the 18-year-old began to lean in, closing the space between him and the Cherry Blossom Princess. Sakura stood there frozen, unsure of what to do, unsure of herself.
Oh no… She thought, biting her lower lip. I want to kiss him. I don't want to move. What should I do…?
And, for the first time that night, someone was able to answer her questions.
'It isn't fair to Kenji.' A voice said in Sakura's head that she was distinctly familiar with, but one she didn't recognize at the moment. 'Sort through your feelings first. Then choose who you want to be with.'
This tidbit snapped Sakura out of her stupor, and she turned away from Hiro at the last millisecond.
Whew. Close call. Tenshi thought, as she and Hiniku watched with mildly surprised expressions as Hiro and Sakura slowly pulled away from each other onstage. The crowd burst into applause, and some were even crying from the bitter-sweetness of it all, but the two teens onstage didn't seem to be paying attention. Sakura opened her mouth, ready to say something to Hiro, it looked like, but she quickly shut it and changed her mind. With one last glance at the auburn-haired and eyed teen that he couldn't decipher (for once), the tora-like teen left the stage.
Hiro blinked stupidly for a second, and then he too vacated the stage, pondering to himself on what had just happened.
Sakura clutched at the fabric of her dress where her heart was pounding rapidly against her rib cage.
Mou…I wish it would make up its mind so I wouldn't have to go through this agony… Sakura thought bitterly, cursing her heart for putting her through so much misery, when she bumped into a hard chest.
"Oh, excuse-" She started to apologize, but then froze in mid-sentence upon catching sight of her boyfriend. Part of his black hair was over his pale face, hiding his left eye from view, as his right jade green eye was glowering somewhat fiercely down at the Cherry Blossom Princess.
"Kenji…" Sakura started timidly, wondering what on Earth was making Kenji look so angry. Her thoughts drifted back to her performance just a few minutes ago, the way Hiro had held her onstage, the way he almost kissed her…
Sakura's eyes widened with fear as her face flushed. Oh no. Kenji had been in the audience the whole time. Kenji had been watching…
Without warning, the 17-year-old grabbed Sakura's forearms and dragged her away from the dance floor and further into the building they were in. He pulled her into the first empty room he found and shut the door behind them. And then he stood there, with his back facing Sakura, his shoulders rising and falling with his heavy breathing. The 16-year-old stood in the middle of the room, illuminated by the moonlight pooling from the giant window in the room.
What should I do…? She wondered to herself, nervously twisting her birthstone ring on her finger. Kenji's mad, I can tell. And it normally takes A LOT for him to get mad…Maybe I should try and calm him down.
The tora-like teen hesitantly approached the green-eyed teen, placing a gentle, loving hand on his shoulder.
"…Kenji…?" She called softly. This simple action caused Kenji to, quite frankly, snap.
He smacked Sakura's hand away and roughly pushed her against a wall, making her gasp in surprise. Growling viciously, Kenji then took hold of Sakura's forearms and held them high over her head.
To Sakura's horror, Kenji's eyes had switched from his usual blazing green to malevolent purple again, leering at her and speaking in a booming, skin-crawling voice.
"Just what the HELL do you think you're doing with that guy??" He hissed, squeezing Sakura's forearms tightly so that her ring glinted in the moonlight. "You belong to ME!"
A/N: Whoo, long chappie. GASP! Kenji's gone mad!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!
Hiro: I TOLD you he was off his rocker…
MuraSakura: Ah, shaddup, Hiro. So anyways, disregard the earlier Author's Note at the top of the screen, because I've had a new computer for about 3 months now. That's how long ago I started this chapter. O.O Oops. But anyways, YOU know the drill! REVIEW PLEASE!!! Not reviewing is cruel to me, because I NEED FEEDBACK! Is it good, is it bad? Are there things I can improve on? (Besides my procrastination problems?) Constructive criticism IS appreciated, for those who don't know! I wanna get better! So review and tell me what you thought! That is all.
P.S. I don't claim "Unfaithful" by Rihanna or "Future Girls" by Smile.dk
-MuraSakura