AN: Hey! I'm not dead! XD
Though I guess I had a huge hiatus... Sorry. . Yeah 2013 wasn't really a good year for me and... it sucked. Also I had a huge writer's block, too along with laziness, along with the lack of motivation. But I did say I want to finish this, so that's what I'm going to do even if it'll take forever. So yeah. :D Here's my story! ^_^
Chapter 14: Family Matters, A Loner's Pain
Sounds of footsteps fill the busy airport, people going on a plane for business, vacation or to visit a family member, or People getting off a plane for the same reasons. Two people just got off their plane from Japan. A tall man in a nice suit with his shirt having two buttons unbuttoned, seems pretty impatient as he waits for a smaller man with semi long hair tied in a low pony tail get their bags,
[Hey, can you hurry up? Kei-chan might be waiting for us!] The taller man said to the smaller effeminate male,
[You're too impatient, Saito. We can't visit her right now.]
[Huh? Why not?] The tall one asked,
[Of course it's too late for visits.]
The slim man told him collecting their bags. The tall man who he called Saito just shrugged,
[Eh. I guess it's the jet lag, Ren. But, I really do want to see her as soon as possible you know.]
The tall man then just started huffing out from his nose now chuckling to himself with tainted red cheeks having a stupidly creepy look making his pretty face unappealing at the moment. The one called Ren just sighed to him and shook his head then gives him a blank stare,
[I can't believe Ito-sama let's you near his daughter…]
After that they then left the airport.
The cafeteria is bustling with students. They are studying, hanging around or just there eating fruit. It seemed like they all refused to eat the cafeteria food, of course with good reason. Kei is sitting at the usual table, trying to catch up with homework. Johnny entered the cafeteria and headed to her and greeted her,
"Hey." He then sat beside her when she didn't respond.
He looked at her as she just wrote down on her notebook, despite the lack of expression, she seemed a little more on edge to him. She is quieter than usual, more into her work than usual (if that is even possible) and she didn't exactly greet him like usual. Really, she'd look up at him and just nod her head, but now, she then didn't respond to him and just let out a grunt and that's it. Johnny was about to ask her what's wrong when the announcement came on,
"Miss Ito. Please come to the office. Miss Ito."
Johnny was about to ask what that was about when Kei got up from her seat and stuffed all of her things into her bag then started heading to the exit of the cafeteria. He wanted to call out to her but didn't. She really is giving him the cold shoulder for some reason.
Kei has made it to the office and entered seeing a face of a person she hasn't seen in a long time since she left home. She was about to walk towards him when she gets grabbed from behind with them calling her name happily,
[Kei-chan!]
She quickly grabs onto one of his arm and flipped him over her shoulder.
Ren watches the scene play in front of him and shook his head and let out a sigh.
Johnny decided to follow her to the office when he saw some guy grabbed her from behind looking read to grab her beasts! He was about to stomp over there and beat the guy when Kei quickly flipped him over her shoulder. Johnny gets dumbfounded every time,
'Why does she always surprise me every time…?'
Sora kind of had some trouble breathing and just lies there on the floor. Ren let out another sigh and went up to them just staring blankly at Sora for his rude greeting,
[That's enough already. You're confusing the Secretary.]
As he pointed that out, Miss Danvers looked confused and looked like she doesn't understand the situation. Ren then proceed to explain,
"I'm sorry, this happens sometimes. We apologize for the commotion."
She stared at all of them and then turned to Kei,
"…Your visitors are here."
She nodded and turned to Ren,
[Thank you for coming all this way.]
[It's nothing. I'm of course here to check on how you're doing.]
The two of them then left the office. Sora then slowly got up from the floor and followed them holding his back in pain.
Johnny stood there for a few minutes then decided to approach them,
"Kei!"
He called out to her, she stopped and turned to him, he finally caught up,
"Do you need anything?"
Kei asked him. Johnny looked at the two strangers and asked,
"Who are these people?"
Of course he'd ask, he's been staring at them for a while. The woman with the glasses he's fine with, but that guy who grabbed her boobs he has a huge problem with. Sora could feel the glare from the teen and returned it. Kei ignored whatever is up between Sora and Johnny and answered as she pointed to the handsome idiot glaring at Johnny,
"This idiot is Sora Saito. He works for my father."
When hearing his name, Sora then just crossed his arms and gave Johnny a braggy smirk, acting all cool not realizing she just called him an idiot. Ren went up to him and just pointed that out for him,
[Kei-san just called you an idiot, Saito.]
Sora's cocky pose then crumbled and gave Kei a hurt expression,
[Ehh?! Kei'chan, how could you?!]
He cried. She of course ignored him then introduced Johnny to her doctor,
"And this here is Ren Okano. He is the family doctor."
'He?!"
Well, Johnny got kind of taken off guard as he looked at the doctor. He could have sworn the doctor was a woman by the doctor's feminine features. Ren could sense this and gave him a smile telling him,
"Don't worry. I'm not offended. I mean, I get that a lot since I do have almost feminine features."
'Am I that obvious…? And how come I'm still feelin' uneasy about thinkin' he's a girl?'
Even though he doesn't know why he feels uneasy, but Kei and Sora understands. The doctor is actually really offended and really does want to hurt him.
"Anyway… Is there anything else you need?" Kei asked him, Johnny turned to her and then asked,
"So, uh… Why are they here for?"
Kei let out a sigh wondering why Johnny is asking so many questions and answered him,
"They're here to check up on me."
"How come? You sick?"
She shook her head by his question,
"No I'm not."
His questions seem strange. She doesn't know why,
"Well, if you're done asking, we need to go."
Her rudeness has gone out full force. Of course Ren noticed and spoke out,
"Now, now Kei-san. No need to be so rude."
Her eyes widened and turned away from Johnny,
"Um… W-well… We'll be going now."
And so, she left and the two men followed. Johnny watched them leave pondering about her behavior and what Naoto said, even though he told him, Kei is suffering some kind of trauma, he still doesn't know what caused that trauma because Naoto refused to tell him anymore than that. Now that he thought about it, Naoto acted strange when he was telling him about that as if the boy remembered something bad himself. Johnny let out a scoff and rubbed the back of his neck out of irritation,
"Eh… What is up with all this…?" He muttered to himself,
"Why the hell is this bothering me so much?"
He then let out a sigh not even realizing a bunch of students are staring at him now. He shook his head and decided to just let it all go for a while and just went home.
The three of them then went to town since there really isn't that many places to have a private conversation. And so they're in town at the docks. Ren suggested a café, but Kei disagreed and led them to the docks instead. The three of them sat at the bench when Ren finally spoke,
[Kei-san, how have you been doing since you've moved here, anything out of the ordinary?]
Kei looked down at her hands and nodded,
[…I've been starting to get panic attacks again.]
Ren rubbed his chin with his thumb and then took out a note book and pen then wrote what she told him down. Sora forrowed his eyebrows and asked,
[So, what caused you to get a panic attack, Kei-chan?]
[Oi, Saito. Don't try and do my job for me.] Ren joked,
Kei turned to them and spoke,
[I've been looking back at when Souji was alive…]
Ren looked down by what she said as Sora gave her a strained look,
[Kei-chan, I know it's hard, but-]
But Sora is then cut off by Ren,
[Kei-san. What are your thoughts on that boy we've met earlier?]
Sora turned to Ren questioningly as Kei stared directly at him with hesitation written on her face then looked away,
[…He's a friend I made there.]
[Have you by any chance been using him just to reenact the feeling you had for Souji?]
Kei didn't say anything. Ren let out a sigh and wrote more things down on his notebook,
[Kei-san, please let go. Don't use people like that. That boy, has he been reminding you of him?]
She didn't saying anything for a few minutes and replied,
[…Some of his actions reminded me of him.]
[Please specify.]
[His kindness reminded me of him. And his protectiveness reminds me of him as well, but…]
[But..?]
Kei then fiddles on her sleeve cuffs,
[He doesn't always remind me of Souji.]
Ren wrote some more and responded,
[Then focus on that side of that boy and not the side that reminds you of him.]
[Just watch out okay?] Sora then added,
She arched her brows and snapped,
[There's no need for that.]
Sora flinched by her stern voice, Kei then got up and started walking, deciding it's time to go,
[Besides, he's not like that.]
Ren could tell the girl is confused of what she thinks of that boy, but of course it's something positive. He decided he should speak with this boy. Sora wants to talk to him as well, though he might need some help with his conversation… Then the three of them headed back to the school.
Naoto is still getting out of school, about ready to head home when he sees Kei with two familiar people and remembered who they are, Naoto was hoping for them not to see him when Kei noticed him,
[Oh Naoto-kun, are you ready to go home?]
[Uh… Yeah.] He answered her when he could see the two people with her looking at him.
Kei could feel the tense atmosphere, she doesn't understand why, though.
Ren and Sora just stared at the boy. Naoto returned the gaze. Sora then caught Kei's confused gaze and smiled,
[Hey! Naoto-kun~!]
Sora greeted swinging his arm over the boy's shoulders,
[How have you been? Didn't realize you go here too~.]
[Yes. It is a surprise.] Ren spoke up, staring coldly towards the boy.
Naoto nodded and gave out a smile,
[Yeah. What a coincidence, right?]
Kei then understood they're just as surprised as her and nodded,
[Yes. It is a coincidence. I was surprised myself.]
Sora, Ren and Naoto didn't say anything but gave her a smile,
[Oh? How come it's the first time we heard of it?]
Sora asked with a grin,
[It's just like we've said. A coincidence.]
Kei told him while crossing her arms, Sora just responded with a goofy grin,
[I see, I see.]
Kei sighed and decided to just enter the dorms now,
[I guess I'll be going now.]
[Okay, Kei-chan! I'll make sure to visit you every day while I'm here!]
Ren nodded to her and said his farewells as well,
[Yes, see you again soon.]
Kei nodded back and entered the building.
Now that Kei is gone the two of them then turn their attention back to Naoto, dropping that façade they showed in front of Kei. Sora then gestured them to an isolated part of the school where they can talk privately. As they got there, the two men turned to Naoto and started interrogating him. Ren went first,
[So, will you tell us why you are here?]
Naoto shook his head and answered bluntly,
[It's just like what Kei and I have said. It's just a coincidence.]
Sora didn't buy it. But of course he would never believe the blond boy whether he's lying or not.
Ren just silently listened and pulled Sora from Naoto as the guy looks ready to be aggressive towards the boy,
[Alright we'll believe you. But it seems the promise you made us have broken.]
Naoto glared angrily towards them getting fed up with their attitudes about him being there in front of them. It's not his fault that both he and Kei decided to choose this school! And it's not his entire fault he was involved with that incident with her a year ago! The blond boy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists angrily.
Ren could tell they have went a little too far and spoke,
[I know it really wasn't your fault. But you already know what you've done has already set you in a bad light to the head master. And if he learned that you are here, who knows what will happen.]
Of course he knows. That's why he's in another country. The promise they've made and keeping Kei in the dark, by staying away from him, from keeping her from asking questions, from keeping her from knowing about that whole incident…
Ren let out a sigh and spoke,
[I guess it really is just a mere coincidence. But, you really do need to get out of here soon.]
Naoto just glared at the ground gritting his teeth so hard until it hurt. Ren then started walking,
[Come on, Saito. We need to go.]
[Huh? Okay…]
Sora then followed behind but not without taking a glance back to Naoto with the look of anger and unforgiveness. He then turned back around to the doctor. Ren didn't look back at all. Who knows on what he is feeling? He's not so easy to read at times. Sora hoped he can read the guy. The doctor is just as bad if not, worse than Kei on this. He even wondered if Kei picked all of his personality from him.
Naoto waited for the two to leave, as he just stood there thinking about everything at once. He's so pissed. That's all. He didn't know what else to feel at that moment but anger. Those two piss him off, not only those two. As the sound of their footsteps died down, he started walking himself deciding it's time to go home. As he went through the school grounds, he is still pissed. He started wondering what he has done to deserve any of this. Don't they see he's suffering too?!
He's now already half way home when he's confronted by those muggers again, but this time they mean to injured him severely by the weapons they carry. Naoto just stared blankly, obviously uncaring even. The leader just grinned at him resting his bat over his shoulders,
"Well, well. We meet again, huh?"
Naoto didn't respond. The guy continued,
"Did you know how much you humiliated me with your bastard friend?"
Naoto still didn't respond, but just judged him of his stupidity as the mugger just circled him. The mugger then continued,
"Well, a ton."
The guy then stopped and pointed his bat at him,
"So, guess what you'll be getting?"
After that the mugger then swung his bat at the blond aiming for his head when, Naoto dodged, grabbed his arm and twisted his wrist, took his bat and used it against him. The blond delinquent swung the bat at the mugger's mid section which got him to fall to the ground grabbing his stomach. His friends got their weapons ready and charged at him. Naoto dodged one crowbar to the face and swung his bat to the guy's leg, breaking it. Then he dodged one brass knuckled fist to the guts and swung his bat across the guy's face. And the last one dodging easily as the last guy tried to hit him on several spots of his body with a steel pipe tiring the guy out letting Naoto just grab the guy's head and kneed him in the face.
The blond boy stared down at the three muggers and threw the bat down next to the leader and spoke,
"You're all pathetic."
He then continued his way home. But, little did he know that someone was watching him all that time. The figure just watched him leave and left.
AN: Oh, what's this? What did Naoto agree with Kei's family I wonder? :P
Any way. :) I'm so happy that everyone likes this story. I really am! ^w^ and I hope to hear a lot from all of you on what you think of this story. :3 So yeah! ^w^ Leave a review 'cause I really, really like reading those! ^w^ And yeah! :D Thank you~! ^w^