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Chapter 11:
"Krad, Krad, Krad, Krad!"
"What?"
"Trouble's coming!"
Krad raised a brow and attempted to calm his roommate down, just a bit though, he wasn't willing to lose a limb over trying too hard, "You know, before you tell someone how threatened they should feel, you have to elaborate and tell them who or what's happening first."
"Rika's happening, that's what."
Golden eyes blinked, "Rika? Who's Rika?"
"Dark's ex. Apparently, she was too mature for him so she left him or he left her, I'm not sure but their maturity level was too far apart."
"So? And I care because?"
"Did I mention she's Risa-chan's cousin."
"Oh, so that's why I should care." In his mind, he began wondering what she'd be like; he pictured a girl, who was a taller version of Risa, with a very smug look on her face. Not to mention a waggling finger in his face. She was laughing at him, something along the lines of:
"Ha! I went out with him first. That means he liked me before you! Not to mention I'm actually a girl, and you're not!"
There were several other childish insults. He rubbed his neck awkwardly, "Now when you say mature, how mature is she?"
"Adult mature. She doesn't find 'stupid' jokes funny."
There went the childish insults. "Okay…what does that have to do with me?"
"She's going to be on Risa-chan's side, that's the problem."
That's when the waggling finger image popped into his head again, only this time, it was directed to Dark, not him, it went something along the lines of:
"You liked me first, so I'm telling you, my cousin's the better choice! Wouldn't you like a miniature version of me? I mean, you did like me before that other person!"
Krad shook his head again, trying to disperse the images, "You're going to have to remind me again, how mature?"
Towa shook her head and sighed, "Very, very mature. She's the type to be able to handle rated R scenes without flinching or remarking on it in anyways, and she doesn't, like, get affected at all."
"Wow…that is mature…" If he'd learn anything, it was that students weren't at all mature, that was about as rare as a liger. Which was indeed, very rare, especially since they're believed to be extinct and all. Even he couldn't sit through rated R scenes without covering his eyes or stifling his laughter every now and then.
Then the phone rang and plenty of foreshadowing and stupid plotting happened shortly afterwards.
The blond picked the phone up, "Hello, Krad speaking."
"Hey, Krad!"
"Dark?" His roommate stopped in her tracks and stared intently at the phone.
"You know the movie tomorrow?"
"Yea?"
"I can't pick you up as usual and drive you around."
Golden eyes blinked, "Okay…"
"Yea, something came up, sorry. Would sunday be okay with you?"
"Yea, that'd be fine. Alright, bye."
"See you."
He hung up. And almost immediately, Towa whipped out her cell phone and used her speed dial, within moments, she had it next to her ear and was waiting for the person at the other end to pick up. Krad looked over, "Who are you calling?"
She looked over, "Aku, who else?"
How could he have been so stupid as to question her, "Why?"
"To get info, obviously."
The blond gave a sigh, "Oh yea, sorry, for a sec, I forgot about your profession as a professional stalker!"
Towa gushed happily, "Well I don't know about professional." The person on the other end picked up, her attention went back to the mission at hand, "Hello?"
Aku laid back in his chair in a very relaxed manner, "Hello, Aku here, what can I do for you today? though there are limited choices and options as to what I'd actually help you with, yea, anyways, sup?"
Dark looked over skeptically, he found it rather strange how the second he hung up the phone, another person would go and call his roommate, "Who is it? It better not be who I think it is."
Golden red eyes looked back at him before he rolled them and scoffed, "Obviously, it's Cass, you paranoid freak." The violet haired boy gave a soft huff before turning away and back to his much hated homework. Aku looked over and grinned, "Yea, I can't believe he's ditching me tomorrow for Rika! You know, I've never liked her, even when they went out. Yea, he didn't listen to me back then, so I doubt he's going to start listening now."
"You want to keep it down?"
Amethyst eyes twitched slightly when the other ignored him and continued on with his complaints, "I know, terrible isn't it? I mean she's his ex, what's the point in them getting together to have a drink at the café? You know, the one just aroundthecorner from that clothing store." A soft growl reached his throat and he snapped the pencil in his hand.
"Aku..."
His roommate looked over at the snapping sound, "Hn? No, Dark just snapped his pencil. I don't think he appreciates me talking about his ex, he's so stupid sometimes-" then a pillow was thrown at him, "Hey! What was that for you loser! Getting all touchy over this stupid topic huh? Fine!" He chucked the pillow back and gave a scoff, "It's not like you two are going out anymore, you're with Hikari-chan now, aren't you?" He ran out before another pillow could come into contact with his head.
Green eyes blinked at the phone which was now on speakerphone so that the blond could hear too, "You know…I can't tell whether you're brilliant or stupid beyond words."
"Obviously the former. So what are we going to do for tomorrow?" A pause, "Oh, are we going to do that?"
Krad raised a brow, "What's that?"
Towa ignored him, "Yea, might as well. It's been awhile, and it's just so fun!"
The blond rose his voice a bit, "Towa, what the hell are you talking about?"
"Are you ignoring Hikari-chan?"
She laughed, "Of course not! Why ever would I do such a thing?"
He could hear the other boy sighing on the other side of the phone, "You know, if you upset her now she just might not want to come along with us tomorrow." There was a long pause, "…hey, you still there?"
The silver haired girl looked over, hugged her roommate's arm, and began to grovel, "I'm so sorry Krad! You have to come with us tomorrow! You have to!"
Needless to say, Krad was slightly overwhelmed by the sudden mood-swing and quickly agreed to whatever it was that the other insisted on. Just to avoid the violent side of the mood-swings of course, "Okay, okay! But what are we doing tomorrow?"
"I can't believe we're doing this…" He pushed his sunglasses up and sighed, "The hell…"
He was shushed by his roommate, "Shhhh! There they are!"
A random passerby looked nervously at the four not so discreet figures poking their heads around the corner. All of them had suits and sunglasses on, they were indeed, very careful about being subtle. Krad looked down at his roommate and then up at Aku and Cass, who had decided that it'd be fun to join them and gave another sigh, "Was it really necessary to stalk them? We probably look like hired kidnappers."
Aku clicked his tongue but didn't say anything, Towa looked up, "Aren't you the least bit curious as to what they're talking about? I mean she is Risa-chan's cousin."
When the blond looked up to the other boy for support, he received a shake-head-in-disapproval instead, "You want to keep your head, don't you?" He whispered back, "best to keep quiet. Towa's gotten into character already."
How did I get stuck with such a dangerous roommate? He turned his attention back to where the two were sitting, drinking and chatting rather idly. Wonder what they're talking about…please not about me…
The brunette took a sip of her drink, probably tea since it was the more or less mature drink, not to mention classy and ladylike…to an extent. "So Dark, I heard you've found yourself another girlfriend."
Dark gave a lazy grin in return, "News sure travels fast nowadays, doesn't it?"
"Surprisingly so." She took another sip of her drink, "well…?"
"Well what?"
"How is she?"
The boy gave a shrug, "Less mature than you but probably more than me."
Rika gave a nod and set her cup down, "I wasn't actually talking about maturity, but I suppose that's good to know. It'd be chaotic around here if you had found someone less mature than yourself."
Another lazy grin, "Thanks."
There was a slightly annoyed look on her face, maybe even confused to some point, "It wasn't really a compliment you know…"
He leaned forward, resting his head on his fist, "Before you continue with your questions, let me ask you this, are you here on Risa-chan's behalf? Even though I thought she was with that other kid now. I mean, if you're not then you can just say so and call me paranoid and whatever else you'd like, but are you?"
Rika blinked and paused.
Flashback!
Risa had been there to greet her that day, "Rika! It's been too long! I've missed you!"
She smiled at her cousin, the twins were, after all, her favorite out of the rest of them. "How have you been?"
"Great, thank you!" There was a long pause before Risa broke the silence, "You used to go out with Dark-san, right?"
Rika nodded, "That's right, is something wrong? Is he bothering you?"
The younger of the two shook her head sheepishly, "Umm…well, you see, I have this one really small tiny favor to ask of you…"
"Does the silence mean I'm right?"
She looked back up at her ex, "What? Sorry, I got sidetracked there."
He raised a brow, how often did the infamous Rika get 'sidetracked'? "Did Risa-chan send you?"
"Why would she?"
Dark gave a shrug, "never mind then," He gave a laugh, "Well, isn't this pleasantly awkward?"
A random boy looked at his mother, "Mommy, why are those people dressed so strangely?"
The mother shook her head and dragged her son away, "It's best if we stay away from them, honey, you don't know what kind of people they are. They could be part of a gang, or they could be working for the government, or worse, they could be kidnappers."
Krad, hearing this, wanted to do nothing more than to go running to the pair and apologize and explain their situation to avoid any misunderstandings. But he refrained, partly because they'd probably run away from him before he could explain and also because his legs had fallen asleep.
Towa frowned, "What are they talking about? Why didn't we move closer?"
"Because we'd get caught?"
Aku was somewhat amazed at the sight before him, "I've never seen Dark sit so still for such a long period of time before."
Krad sighed, "My legs are sore." He would've complained more but his roommate suddenly tugged at his hair, "What is it?"
"Look over there!" She pointed at the corner that was somewhat closer to the pair than they were, "It's Risa-chan!"
"I guess we're not the only stalkers around here."
Rika raised a brow suspiciously at the boy, "Why would you suspect her anyways?"
He shrugged offhandedly, "No reason-hey, isn't that her around the corner?"
"Yes, why I believe it is."
Dark repressed the urge to laugh in a very gleeful and somewhat triumphant manner, "Well, speak of the devil."
The brunette looked over and gestured for her cousin to head over towards them.
"Opps. Been spotted, going to them now, Risa out."
Dark looked over at the younger girl with a feign curious look, "Risa-chan, what are you doing here?"
Risa smiled rather nervously, Dark noted; and she responded a bit too hastily for someone just strolling by…pausing at every street corner they walked by. "Huh? I was just walking around, looking for Rika, I wanted her to help me pick out a dress for the next dance."
He was going to remark about how the next dance wasn't due for another few months, but then suddenly, Dark's phone rang, he blinked and picked it up, "Hello?"
Around the other corner, Towa's eyes widened at the voice, "Shi-wrong number!"
Aku looked over, slightly panic-stricken, "Hang up then!"
The two fumbled with the phone for a bit before finally closing it and handing it back to its rightful owner, who in return, raised a brow at the level of strangeness. Then he decided to roll his eyes, "well that was brilliant…" he muttered somewhat snarkily.
Dark looked down at the caller ID which was glowing in a cheery way on the phone's screen, "Hm? Krad called? Wonder if something happened. Just wait a sec," he told the girls as he called the other back, just in case the blond needed something, or if there was an emergency and the blond needed his help in a life or death matter. His mind went wild with the different possibilities of emergencies, both good and bad.
Krad gave a start when his phone rang, he picked it up as fast as he could, "Hello? Dark? Hn? No, nothing happened, no emergency, Towa was just fooling around with my phone and accidentally called you. Yea, what are we up to? We're not really doing anything right now, just hanging around. How are you? Really?"
The teen slouched back against his chair and ignored the disapproving look of his ex, "Yep, that's right. You wanna head over here? We're at the café by the corner, what? Why would you-don't worry if you're dressed funny, it can't be that bad. You look good in everything you wear anyways. Alright, I'll see you in a bit then." He hung up and looked at Rika, he gave a shrug before straightening up a bit, "couldn't be avoided. Besides, you said you wanted to meet her, so there you have it."
The two girls narrowed their eyes elegantly, one with more experience than the other of course, but they both did it almost in an accusing manner. The elder one spoke, as though having contemplated the idea of the blond joining them, "I suppose it'll be nice to meet her."
"Oh, and her roommate and Aku and his boyfriend's coming too. You remember Aku, don't you?" He had to ask the question rather carefully yet at the same time casually to make it less of a big deal than it really was. Especially seeing that it was a touchy subject. The two had a mutual bond between them; they hated each others' guts so much that whenever they made eye contact, it seemed like they were going to rip out the other's throat or something. Never got along, never will.
Hate immediately flared up in her eyes, but she managed to give a calm reply, "Yes, I do believe I remember him. Snarky, rude-"
A voice came behind them, "But just ever so charming, hm? I see your blunt insults and cheekiness hasn't died off."
Rika didn't bother turning around, "And I see you haven't died off."
The two smile-glared at each other in an extremely hateful manner, Krad looked at Towa, "Are they always like this?" He could see Risa gawking at her cousin, she's probably never seen her in such a state of hate.
She sighed and nodded, "they were, they are, and always will be. It's like they were born to be like this."
Dark looked over, he smiled at the blond despite the tension that had filled the surrounding area rather quickly, "Hey Krad, that was quicker than I expected, so why are you all dressed in suits?"
He shrugged and looked over at Towa, waiting for her to answer for him, which she did. "We were interviewing people."
Krad looked away, the answer playing out in his head. We were stalking you.
"Oh? What for?"
"For this project."
We had nothing better to do than to watch you and your ex converse.
He raised a brow and gave a slightly lopsided grin, "Hn? And why was Aki-chan with you?"
The taller boy turned around, "don't call me Aki-chan!"
Rika smiled, "why ever not? I think it's rather suiting for someone like you."
Aku turned back to the war at hand and returned the smile, "I'd tell you the name I've thought up for you but there's a lady in the area. But if Hikari-chan would be so kind as to cover her ears for a bit, then I might not be so considerate."
"I see time hasn't made you anymore bearable."
"And I see time hasn't made your face anymore bearable."
The two smiled and forced a laugh, their glaring contest continuing from before.
Towa couldn't help but glare at the teen for that previous lady comment, "he was helping us out. Not that he was any help!"
Because she felt like having her partner in crime with her to make it more fun. Well, until he made that remark, anyways.
He motioned at the senior who had gone into the café to order drinks, "And Cass?"
She shrugged, "Him, too."
He was dragged along for lack of better things to do.
"I see," Dark smiled and cut in between their fight as though it wasn't happening, "anyways, Rika, this is Krad, Krad, Rika."
He gave a nod and shook the girl's hand, the girl whose mind was still clearly fuming over the fight, cranking her brain-gears in order to come up with further insults for the boy, sufficiently awkward. "Hello…?"
Rika shifted her attention over to the blond and raised a brow; she even gave a sly surprisingly Dark-like smirk. "So you're the girl that won over Dark's heart."
Golden eyes blinked, "What?" That wasn't what he was expecting, especially after all the mature things he had heard about her.
Russet eyes flashed with something he couldn't decipher, "You're the girl that won over Dark's heart, are you not?"
Krad looked around at the group who had all turned their attention onto him, he swallowed and answered, carefully choosing his words, "I believe that that's up to Dark to decide, not me. I mean, it's his heart, not mine." Truth was, he just felt like avoiding the question.
Risa frowned when her cousin tilted her head upwards, a subtle sign of her approval. She decided to join in on the conversation, "Well, Dark-san?" It was no secret that she was hoping for a no.
Dark too, had noticed the tilting of the head and smiled, "there's only one Hikari Krad around here, isn't there?" He then gave a mock-hurt look, "Or were you not listening to me this entire time, Rika-chan?"
Seeing that she could make no further progress, she finished her tea and got up, "fair enough. Come on Risa, let's go find you a dress. It was nice talking to you again, Dark." She looked over and nodded at Krad, "Hikari-san, it was nice meeting you."
It took awhile for Krad to realize that she was talking to him, he nodded hastily, "likewise…"
And so, the two walked past them, as Rika passed Aku, she muttered under her breath, "half-witted dolt."
Aku merely smiled rather pleasantly, "freak of nature." She merely continued walking, though a tad bit faster than before, he waved and called after her, "bye now! Let's have tea together some time!" When they disappeared from sight, he rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pocket, "stupid witch…"
"Are they gone?" They all turned to Cass, who had just walked out of the café, cups in hand.
Dark raised a brow, "that sure took you awhile…"
"Hn? Oh, well first, I ordered two cups, but by the time I got the drinks and looked outside, you were still arguing so I drank it myself. Then I thought, hey, why not just buy a cup for everyone and yea…"
Towa took a cup and nodded in approval, "that was very considerate of you, unlike someone."
Golden red eyes blinked, "what'd I do now?"
Amethyst eyes looked over, amusement dancing in them, "So tell me, what were you guys really doing in those suits?"
Nya
Well...first update of the year! And only a couple days before the holidays are over...it's a rather saddening thought really...I really couldn't think of a for Aku and Rika to get along, they just contrast so...colorfully :P So this is the result...mmm whoppers...yes anyways, happy new years no more and enjoy!
