~REVISED~
Ruki sat up. She'd had another strange dream that she couldn't quite recall, only fragments. And they were...
As Ruki passed the lounge that morning, she noticed her mom sleeping on the sofa, 'Oh the glamour...' Ruki thought sarcastically, though a part of her felt amused.
Once she'd made breakfast, Ruki sat at the table, picking at it every once in awhile. She didn't feel so hungry that morning,
"Ruki-chan?" Inquired Rumiko, entering the kitchen, "Oh, it is you...I thought I heard..." She shook her head, and smiled, "No, nothing, I'm just being silly..." She walked over to the table, and glanced at the food, "Ruki-chan! You're such a skilled cooker! Mind if I have some?"
Ruki didn't feel like she could eat anymore, so she stood up, "Go ahead. I'm finished anyway." She walked out the room, down the hall to the front door. She picked up her bag, opened the door, and left quickly. When she got to the place where Ryou normally met her, she saw him sitting on the fence, his back to her.
She walked past him, wondering how he'd react,
"Ah! Ruki?"
"Good job of recognition there, Pretty Boy. What're you doing?"
He jumped off the fence, "Memorising something." She gave him an odd look, and he grinned, "Y'know, your face when you discovered I'd beaten you in the qui-"
Ruki glared at him, and carried on walking to school, "Later." She said simply. She wasn't going to give him a response.
Ryou caught up with her quickly, "Ha ha, I'm kidding Ruki. Phew, I hope we don't run into that guy and those kids again from yesterday."
Ruki gave him a suspicious look, "Why?"
Ryou shrugged, "...It was embarrassing."
Ruki raised an eyebrow, "Wow, you embarrassed. Excuse me whilst I memorise such a feat." Ryou laughed at this.
They walked in silence for awhile, until they heard a voice behind them, "Good morning!" They glanced round. A woman wearing the usual police outfit, with dark red hair and equally dark red eyes walked over to them, "I thought that was you, Ryou-kun."
Ryou looked surprised, "Officer Yoshino! What're you doing so early on patrol?"
Yoshino yawned, "I couldn't sleep too well. Oh, Ryou-kun, have you seen the headlines of the papers' recently...?"
For a very split second, Ruki was sure she'd seen Ryou flinch. Just for a second, "N-no... Should I have?" He asked normally.
Yoshino looked sympathetic, and shook her head, "Nah, don't worry about it. Well, I'm off! Bye!" She strode past them, and turned down another road, very quickly seeming to be lost in thought
Ruki paused for a minute and then continued walking. Her mind was racing, 'The accident'
"Wonder what that was about, huh?" Ryou said, beginning to laugh awkwardly.
"...What have you got to do with that accident?"
Ryou looked away for a split second, then back, "I don't know what you're talking about..."
Ruki felt indignant, "Don't play dumb. You-"
They entered the school grounds just as the bell rang.
Ryou glanced around, then scratched the back of his head, "Class now Ruki! Later." Ruki stared after Ryou, who was now running to class, almost as if he was fleeing from something.
Ruki narrowed her eyes, 'Idiot. We're in the same class.' And she began walking in the same direction Ryou was running.
When Ruki arrived, she took her seat and got out her geography books, "Mornin', Ruki-chan!" Juri said cheerfully, walking past to speak to some of her other friends.
"Morning." Ruki said very quietly.
Ryou walked past, apparently engrossed in a conversation with Kenta, "Ryou!" Ruki hissed at him.
He flinched, and carried on walking, causing Kenta to look from Ryou to Ruki and back clearly very confused. Ruki sighed, 'He really thinks he's going to get away from me that easily?'
"Alright class!" Katou-sensei walked in, and the lesson began.
Next was History. Ruki yawned as she walked over to the history building, 'Why can't we just stay in our homeroom?' She thought, annoyed. She spotted Ryou walking past her. She walked quickly toward him, "Ryou! Stop denying it! What do you know?"
Ryou turned to her. He looked very guilty, and seemed to be gaining the determination to stop avoiding her, "Okay, okay. I know it seems like I know something, but I don't. I just... knew some of the people who died in the accident." He seemed to have difficulty saying that.
"Hmph." Was all Ruki could say. She wondered if he knew her father. She was about to ask but realised it was a silly idea - Ryou was the same age as Ruki, he would've been too young. That and Ryou arrived in this town the same year as when her father died, of course he wouldn't have. She thought it was quite a weird coincidence that the years coincided though.
"Ok everyone." Katou-sensei said as they arrived in class, "Luckily, all the text books are already out for me, so let's get started!"
"Why can't we just leave school already?" Ruki heard Junpei whisper loudly to someone from behind her, 'I've gotta agree with him... for once.' She thought idly. She then yawned, and rested her chin on her hand, 'This is going to take a looong time...'
Finally, the bell rang. Ryou left first. Ruki wasn't going to ignore her suspicions and let him get away, "Ryou!" she called when she got outside the classroom.
He stopped, "Yeah?"
She folded her arms, "Are you sure that's all you have to do with the accident?" Ruki couldn't help but feel Ryou wasn't being entirely truthful.
"Didn't I already explain? ...Why do you want to know so much?"
He asked, "None of your business."
Ruki said stubbornly, "Oh really? Well, it's not exactly your business if I had anything to do with the accident then, huh?"
Ruki opened her mouth and hesitated. He had no idea how much of it was actually her business. But at the same time, if she told him her dad had died in that accident then she'd be opening up to him. What did her knowing what one person had to do with the accident change any of the events that happened?
"O-Oh yeah? Well, you're the one who's acting like he's guilty of something!"
"I-I'm not! Anyway..." He glanced at his watch, "Well, anyway, gotta go, Ruuki!"
He walked down the corridor and out of sight. How could Ruki get the information out of him? She wasn't going to tell him anything, so why should he say what he knew? She sighed and began walking over to the computer room. When she got there she found a notice on the door saying the computers where currently getting maintenance checks.
'Where to go...?'
When she reached the playground, she looked around for a free bench. She spotted one on the other side of the playground, and began walking toward it. As she did, she saw Jenrya, Alice, Juri and Takato standing around on the opposite side, talking. This reminded Ruki of the incident with Alice. The odd things Alice had said recently. Something about her name being called and... friendship?
It seemed Ruki had been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Hikari had sat on the bench, and taken out her lunch. Ruki blinked after realising and was about to turn away when Hikari looked up, "Hey! Makino-san?"
'At least she doesn't think she's my best friend or anything.'
Hikari smiled, "Were you gonna sit on this bench? Sorry~ Well, I guess we can eat together huh? Haven't spoken in a while, right? How's the new kid thing going for you?"
Ruki shrugged, "It doesn't matter." She said quietly.
"Oh, is that right? Well... Okay, if you're sure..." she didn't seem that bothered, and continued to eat her lunch. Ruki could see no other free benches and what with her stomach complaining at her over lack of food, she decided she'd have to sit with this girl she knew very little of.
As she sat down, Hikari laughed a little, "Daisuke-kun and Takeru-kun will be here in awhile, I bet. Just letting you know."
Ruki shrugged, and got out her lunch. What did she care?
Hikari looked uncertain at Ruki's lack of response, "Uh..."
"Hikari-chan!" Someone called from across the playground.
Hikari looked around, and waved, "Daisuke-kun! Takeru-kun! Hey!"
When Daisuke and Takeru joined them, Takeru nodded at Ruki, "Hi, Ruki-san! So, what brings you here?"
Ruki shrugged, "No reason, really."
Hikari and Takeru looked at one another, clearly a little confused.
After a moment Hikari shrugged, "I guess I stole the bench she was gonna sit on by herself... ahah."
Daisuke folded his arms, "Hey, are you ignoring Hikari-chan?" he sounded indignant.
'How about "I don't really want to speak to any of you"?' Ruki thought, equally indignantly.
Hikari waved a hand, "Don't worry, Daisuke-kun. Hey, Takeru-kun, about the homework..."
The bell soon rang. "Oh no..." Hikari stood up, "Ruki-san (She was clearly going to use this now she'd heard someone else use it), you're a grade higher, right? You must have even more difficult lessons then us..."
Takeru nodded in agreement.
"Dont worry Hikari-chan! We'll ace it! ...Somehow!" Daisuke said, grinning, and making a thumbs up.
Hikari giggled a little, "I guess so." She turned to Ruki, "Well, Ruki-san, see you around, I guess!" She waved and then began walking away with Daisuke and Takeru. Ruki's shrug was a bit of a late response, but it didn't matter. 'Time for my next lesson...'
After yet another boring lesson, Ruki walked out of her classroom. She felt so tired, 'Its Sunday tomorrow...' She repeated to herself silently.
"Yeah! I knew it!" Echoed Hirokazu's voice from down the hallway,
"I-I guess..." Takato's voice answered uncertainly. Next minute, Ruki saw Hirokazu sprinting down the hallway toward her, Takato and Kenta trailing slowly behind him. They were clearly bracing themselves for some stupid act of Hirokazu's.
"You are the Digimon Queen! Everyone agrees!" He practically shouted, indicating Takato and Kenta, as if they made up the concept of "everyone".
Ruki narrowed her eyes at him, "This is stupid, use common sense! I've never been here until now, how could I have had a tournament here?"
Kenta shook his head timidly, and said even more timidly, "Y-you were in a tournament in another p-place..."
"And you went against Ryou-san! And he beat y-!"
"I don't know what you guys are going on about." Ruki snapped, "I have no memories of any sort of tournament. You've got the wrong person."
'I'm not the "Digimon Queen" anymore. Although where they've got that idea that I've gone against Ryou before I have no idea...'
"What're you guys talking about?" Ryou was walking toward them now. Hirokazu grinned, "Your battle with Ruki-san here! From that tournament awhile back!"
Ryou shrugged, "You're mixing up memories, haven't met Ruuki before." Why was it that he didn't sound too convinced of his own words?
"See!" Ruki felt almost triumphant, regardless of the tone Ryou had used, "I don't know how you can still be convinced I'm this person when I keep telling you that I don't know anything abou-"
Katou-sensei cleared her throat, "Um... Would you mind not having this rather loud conversation in the hallway? Some people can't get past..."
Ruki, Ryou, Hirokazu, Takato and Kenta jumped out the way immediately.
"Thank you." Katou-sensei smiled warily, and walked down the corridor.
Ruki looked back at Hirokazu and folded her arms, "I'm going to class now. Stop bothering me about your weird take on reality." She walked toward the playground. As she did so, she heard Hirokazu ask Ryou,
"Y-you really don't remember battling her? But you have...! I'm so certain-!"
"Oh? Ruki-san?" Ruki stepped out into the playground, and found Daisuke leaning against the wall on the same side as the door. She said nothing, and carried on walking. "Oi! Don't just walk away!" Daisuke called out crossly.
Ruki stopped, "What do you want?" She asked hotly. She just wanted to eat her lunch in peace.
Daisuke caught up to her, "You play the Digimon card game, right? Well..."
Ruki shook her head, "No! Is there some kind of rumour about me I'm not aware of?"
'I... I wonder where I put my cards?'
Daisuke folded his arms, "Oh, not really...Hey, never mind, have you seen Hikari-chan?"
"Why would I have?"
"Hey!" Hikari called from a little ways away. Daisuke turned around and grinned,
"Hikari-chan! We've got clean-up duty later, right?"
Hikari nodded, "Oh, but...
Takeru-kun isn't able to join us..."
Daisuke, clearly trying to conceal glee at this, scratched the back of his head, "Uh-! I-It's alright, Hikari-chan! We'll be fine!"
Hikari smiled at Ruki, and they were about to walk away when Ken tapped Daisuke's shoulder, "Daisuke-kun. I haven't spoken to you in awhile."
Daisuke turned around, "Ichijouji-kun!" They high fived, "Ya wanna have a match a little later?"
Ken nodded, "Sure."
Hikari seemed pleased at this, "I'll come watch!"
Daisuke turned, a massive grin on his face,
"For real? Yes! You'll cheer me on, right, Hikari-chan?"
Hikari giggled, "I'll cheer you both on!" Ken smiled, and Daisuke looked a little dejected,
"Hikari-chan..."
Ruki felt a bit awkward at this point. She guessed there wasn't really any point in hanging around, she wasn't too sure why she was still within hearing range of this conversation. She decided to just walk away – the thing she should always do.
"Oh, Ichijouji-kun? Will you help me and Daisuke with clean-up duties later?"
"Um... Yes, I guess. Then we can have the match after, right?" was his polite reply.
Ruki kicked a stone as she walked through the playground. Kids of all ages were talking, laughing, playing, 'And here I am... And I'm so bored.'
She stared at the stone she'd just kicked, and stopped. How to kill time?
"Makino-san?" Ruki looked up. Iori was just walking out of the cafeteria,
"Hi." Was all Ruki said,
"What're you doing? ...If you don't mind me asking." Ruki shrugged, "Um... mind if I walk with you?"
"Do what you want." Ruki replied, and carried on walking,
"Uh... Himi-kun and I hang out now... I'm glad I know Himi-kun now but, uh... Well he's kinda... no, never mind, thanks."
"Uh, no problem...?"
"Um, Makino-san... Why you're so..." He seemed unsure of how to finish that sentence.
"So...?" Ruki asked, a little heatedly. She wasn't in the mood for the personality-analysis thing. Not that she ever was.
"N-No... I'm sorry, that was rude. Please ignore what I was saying..."
Ruki felt sort of determined now. If he had something to say, he could say it. She didn't care how young he was, he was clearly far more intelligent than the average kid his age. If people didn't like her then it was just as well – she wanted nothing to do with people."Iori-kun, just tell me, okay?" She immediately regretted saying that. She was continuing some sort of deep conversation with this kid. She really didn't want that.
Iori looked a bit taken aback. "I-I just meant that..." He seemed a little annoyed, though whether it was with her or himself Ruki couldn't tell.
"Maybe if you stopped pushing everyone away and weren't so cold..." It was Izumi, her arms folded, "That's what you were trying to get at, right, Iori-kun?"
Ruki was getting a little annoyed at this point, 'Yeah, I know if I want friends I'll have to act all... No, I don't even want to go there. I-I just...'
"...got it Ruki-chan?" Ruki blinked. She'd obviously missed Izumi's enthralling friendship speech,
"...Whatever." was Ruki's hesitant reply. She was finding it more and more difficult to respond to people when they spoke to her about this sort of stuff, these days.
"Well then! To prove you have learnt from the enthralling friendship speech I just gave, Iori-kun and I will hang out with you until the end of lunch! Ruki-chan, you're so lucky~!"
"...What? Why?" Now Ruki was just plain confused.
"'Cos you're obviously bored!" Well, at least Izumi understood that.
"The end of lunch isn't far off. I won't die of boredom in that time, I promise." Ruki managed to say this quite seriously, somehow, even though she was certain she hadn't meant it to sound like that.
"...I'm sorry, Izumi-san, but I was going to go hang out with some other kids." Iori managed to quietly interject, "Besides, I'm pretty certain it's obvious Ruki-san doesn't want any company. I guess she's just better off like that. Excuse me." He bowed to them quickly and walked away.
"Ah! But...! Iori-kun! Jeez, you're supposed to back me up here!" Iori looked at the floor,
"Sorry...but, I really think it's best." He looked up at Ruki,
"Thanks for fulfilling your promise, Makino-san. I guess that proves you're a good person enough." He turned and walked away toward the field. Ruki was never going to think of Iori as anything other than a "strange kid".
"Jeez... I guess it's just you and me, right Ruki-chan?"
"Why...Why do you act this way around me, and not around everyone else?" Ruki asked. Izumi's constant personality change was starting to get to her. Ruki knew that people acted different around different people, it wasn't a bad thing, but Izumi exaggerated this concept too much.
Izumi's smile looked sad now, "No one would like the real me... E-Even I don't know if I like who I am... Don't you think it would be easier if people didn't judge you? Not for looks or where you've come from or who your friends are? So if I can just be a certain way, then people won't... Ahaha, no, never mind, it's stupid to discuss. It doesn't matter, Ruki-chan, I'm just gonna be how I'm gonna be, I guess!"
Ruki looked away. She found she could half-relate to what Izumi was saying. Only, instead of being someone else, Ruki had decided to push people away entirely. She couldn't work out which method worked better – she guessed neither of them felt too happy a lot of the time. "Yeah, it would be better if people didn't judge... People are just people, we don't have to be so harsh..." She quietly agreed. Izumi nodded and seemed a bit happier now, ironically – someone else got what she was getting at. Well, she was pretty sure.
But then Ruki remembered some things...
-A car wreck
-Her mother's words
-A funeral
-A promise
-She's an ice queen!
'I... I don't know how to act around people... I just want to be myself...!'
She shrugged, and Izumi noticed how Ruki's eyes suddenly seemed colder. For a moment, Izumi wished she could look that cold – then no one would want to know her; she could be free from people's words. But this thought vanished as another replaced it – that's how Ruki looked. Who knew what thoughts were there? Izumi was almost sure she didn't want to know, and her want to be anything like that cold-looking Ruki vanished forever. Instead, she just wanted to find out if that really was Ruki.
"...We'll only be alone in the end anyway." Those words that Ruki spoke sounded like someone else's words. Or perhaps it was some sort of mantra; something she'd told herself over and over?
"Eh?" Izumi blinked, and the bell rang.
Ruki shrugged. That cold look had gone. "See you." She walked to her last lesson,
Izumi had no response. She paused, unable to think for a moment. "...Ruki-chan... is a bit morbid, huh? Hah..."
When Ruki reached the classroom, she found an embarrassed-looking Ryou, surrounded by three annoyed-looking fangirls.
The one named Fuuka saw Ruki and pointed. "You!"
Ruki blinked. "What?"
"Ryou-sama was with you, wasn't he?"
"No..." Ruki's reply was a confused one.
"Liar!" Haruko piped up.
"No, she's not! I had to... go to the medical room!"
"Ryou-sama..." Aoko said sadly, "Do we bore you that much...?"
"A-Aoko-san! Look...!" Ryou was getting a little annoyed now. He wasn't their possession.
Luckily for him, Katou-sensei walked in, "And... What's going on here?" The three girls immediately left Ryou alone, and went back to their seats, as did he. Which was a shame for Ruki, because she found she'd enjoyed Ryou looking at his flushed and embarrassed expression.
As Ruki took her seat, she overheard Junpei mutter to himself, "Jeez, Ryou-san is such a lucky guy..."
Ruki looked at the board, 'Nooot really.'
An hour and a bit later, Ruki was walking toward the secret place. She needed a place she could relax and clear her head. Kouji was there, annoyingly enough. She ignored him, and sat down in her normal place. She got out her CD player, and listened to some music, whilst staring at the small pond. Not much activity, except a pond skater gliding across the still water, causing the faintest of ripples.
Ruki glanced at Kouji, and felt surprised. He was leaning against the tree as normal, but he appeared to be asleep. He would've surely heard her enter.
As if he could hear her thoughts, his eyes opened, and he blinked. He glanced at Ruki, and yawned, "You're here? It's been awhile. Not that I wanted you here."
"I don't exactly enjoy your company either... Were you asleep?"
"What if I was?" Kouji asked, coldly.
"...That's actually kind of cute." Ruki couldn't believe the words she'd just said, but she couldn't deny the truth.
Kouji went bright red and narrowed his eyes at her, "Cute? What?" He looked like he was about to say something else when he shook his head, "Ugh... Never thought I'd hear you use a phrase like that. You seriously ill?"
Ruki was starting to feel a bit embarrassed for saying something like that, "W-Well, I guess something must be up with you if you fell asleep standing up against a tree." Ruki retorted.
Kouji gave her a weirdly sheepish grin. "Yeah, probably." He made his way to the entrance, and left without saying anymore. Sometimes, Ruki couldn't work out who puzzled her more – Ryou or Kouji.
Ruki breathed in deeply, and exhaled. So many years left... She stood up and headed home, where her mum would be waiting to do some "mother-daughter bonding". Ruki sighed. She guessed this would mean her mum would act the stereotype for the evening. Then Ruki remembered it was the weekend which was like a double edged sword - no weird people to deal with at school, but she had to listen to her mum's latest "fashion ideas" whilst watching her mum try to convince herself that Ruki herself was actually interested. Great.
~Revised: Kind of hasty revision, but I got to add some better stuff. See you next chapter? XD~