Chapter 26: Dark and Riku
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Satoshi stares Dark's sleeping form. He is asleep as though he is some human taking a deep rest after some tiring working hours. The light seeping inside the room is giving Dark's face a glow on his cheek. No sight of consciousness is showing by physical.
Satoshi sighs deeply. Satoshi recalls Daiki's words to him.
--"When he wakes up, there is a great chance that he will recall his past life as Dark Mousy. That would be boring, right? So I'm thinking that you should brainwash Dark as soon as he gets up," Daiki said. "What brainwashing should I do?" Satoshi asked. "Tell him you're his younger brother that had been separated from him for 18 years and that his foster parent, which is a woman and living alone, has died of leukemia. She was a hardworking teacher and that's what caused her illness. You are his only family so he decided to move in your place instead because you are stubborn about-"
"Wait!" Satoshi cuts in. Daiki stares at Satoshi. "I will be his brother?!" Satoshi shrieked.
"Yeah," Daiki says and smiles.
"Why? Why not Niwa instead?" Satoshi said.
"As you know, these kids have a little complication about their love. You know-" Daiki gets close to Satoshi and whispers, "Riku."
Satoshi looks at Daiki. "Their story as it is now is very boring. Very tragic. Like Romeo and Juliet. All about love...and tears. No laughs or smiles. Very, very...um, what do you call that? Uh...cruel," Daiki said.
Satoshi's eyes narrow. "I bet their story would be the same if Dark and Daisuke will become brothers. Dark will obviously give his love up for Daisuke," Daiki said.
"I will...try to think about that idea," Satoshi said.
"Ah, good boy. I know you'd understand." Daiki said. "Anyway, you have lots of time to adapt to it since he'll probably wake up after 3 days. We have time to make preparations for him. Certificates, and all those paper works."
"How sure are you he'll love Riku still this time and not consider Risa?" Satoshi asked.
"Ah, right. Risa is very available whenever she wants. But, With chose Riku and Dark's sacred maiden was Riku up to the last time he was Dark Mousy. So, 50% from With and 50% from Dark...it's very obvious his feelings are for Riku only," Daiki said.
Satoshi sighs. "Fine," he said.
--
Satoshi sighs. He slaps Dark's cheek hard. "This is for trapping me into such decision!" he yelled. He sighs once again. "He still won't budge, just as yesterday." Satoshi slapped Dark yesterday as well after remembering Daiki's words. Just as the same. Satoshi turns his back on Dark.
Dark grunts. Satoshi's eyes widened. He turns around to look at Dark. Dark is slowly gaining consciousness. "Ow," he groaned. Satoshi approaches him and watches him as he slowly sits up on the bed.
"I see he woke up," Satoshi thought.
Dark groans again for his hurt cheek and looks up to Satoshi. His eyes widened. He stares at Satoshi for some time.
"What are you staring at me for?" Satoshi said.
"Who-"
"So you hit your head that badly?" Satoshi said.
"Hit...my head?" Dark said.
"You had an accident the other day. Doctors said you'd be fine soon so I brought you here at home." Satoshi said.
"What...accident?" Dark said.
"You've been hit by a car. You were travelling to get here," Satoshi said. "You are moving in from your mother's house to here,"
"Mother? Who are you?" Dark said.
Satoshi holds his forehead. "This is what I hate," he thought.
"Please come, Shuichi-sama. I'll help you with your needs," the butler behind them said. He approaches Dark and lends him his hand. Dark is speechless. He took his arm anyway and went with him.
Satoshi is speechless. He never said anything to the butler. How come he knows that Daiki suggested that Dark should be named Shuichi.
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"Hajime-san...knows?" Satoshi thought.
Footsteps tapped on the floor Satoshi is standing on. He turns and finds Dark approaching him with the butler.
"Otouto!" Dark called.
Satoshi just looked at him. Then to the butler. Dark holds on to Satoshi's shoulder
"I think I have this temporary memory loss but I hope to find out soon," Dark whispers. "I wish you'd help me."
"You wish," Satoshi said, looking away.
Dark laughs and shrugs Satoshi's hair. Satoshi looks at Dark. Dark is on his way outside the house.
"You knew something," Satoshi said.
"It's not easy to just ignore important things, Satoshi-sama." the butler said.
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"OI, SATOSHI! HURRY UP!" Dark yelled.
Satoshi's eyes narrow. "Tch," he hissed. "WILL YOU WAIT? YOU NOISY BRUTE!"
The butler sweatdropped. Dark is astonished.
"So annoying," Satoshi murmurs. He looks at the butler and says, "Please help me with this-" Satoshi looks at Dark and looks back at the butler. The butler smiles and says, "Yes, master." "Thank you," Satoshi said.
Satoshi goes to the car and opens the car door. He then throws his bag at Dark. "Ow!" Dark claimed.
Satoshi turns for his butler and says, "Please take care of the hou-Ah!" Satoshi squealed when his arm is pulled from inside the car and made him hit his jaw against the roof of the car.
The butler sweatdropped.
"You started it," Dark said.
Satoshi's body shakes in annoyance. "We're leaving," he said to the butler while raising his glasses.
"Hai," the butler said and bowed. "Have a safe trip."
Satoshi pushes Dark all the way to the other side as he gets on the car. "Ow! Hey," Dark hisses.
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"Eeeehhhh?" Dark looks up and around in amazement. "Your school looks superb! No wonder it is one of the top schools in Azumano."
Satoshi looks up and around with him and...he got bored. "Who am I kidding? School never looked exciting to me," Satoshi thought and sighs heavily. He continues walking towards the entrance.
Dark catches up to him. "Satoshi, assist me, okay? As you know, I'm a newcomer here." Dark said.
"Why should I? You're older than me!" Satoshi said.
"You're older than me in this school because you've been here since junior high school," Dark said.
"Nevertheless, you're still my senpai and onii-chan!" Satoshi yelled.
"Eh?" Dark is astounded.
"Tch," Satoshi frowned and turned his back to him to leave him.
"Eh!" Dark shrieked.
Satoshi squeals as Dark flails himself around Satoshi and rubs Satoshi's head. "What the hell are you doing?!" Satoshi yelled.
Dark jeers. "Hai, hai, Satoshi. I'll be a good big brother for you. At home and in this school," Dark said.
Satoshi is astonished. He then frowns and turns around, leaving Dark by himself. As he is about steps away from Dark, Satoshi couldn't help smile at the thought of Dark's warm words. "Crazy," he murmurs.
Dark is still wearing a smile on his lips as he watches Satoshi leave. He sighs heavily. "But still..." Dark looks around to the people roaming around the hallway, talking and walking together and the other way around – crisscrossing to each other. "I have no idea how this school runs."
A couple of taps took Dark's attention. He turns and sees a cute young lady with long dark brown hair. Her chocolate eyes gaze at him as if it were trying to hypnotize him.
"Konnichiwa," Risa greeted. "Senpai."
Dark arches a smile for her. "U-un," he acknowledges.
"I saw you talking to Satoshi-kun. Are you really his brother?" Risa asked.
"Un. I am," Dark said. "Though we're not very close,"
"I see," Risa said. "By the way, I'm Risa Harada." She lends out a hand for him.
Dark looks at her hand, quite surprised over an extrovert girl. He takes her hand. "Hikari Shuichi," he said.
"Hikari?" Risa repeated.
"Un," Dark said.
"Satoshi-kun's last name is Hiwatari. How come?" Risa said.
"Eh?" Dark blinked. "I wonder." He chuckles. "So he still haven't ditched his former last name, huh." he thought.
"You're being mysterious, Hikari-kun," Risa said.
"Well, 'mysterious' is our middle name." Dark laughs.
Risa laughs. She lowers her head to hide her blushed cheeks and noticed Dark's shoes. "You haven't changed into indoor shoes." she said.
"Indoor shoes?" Dark repeated.
"Un. When you come in to school, the first thing you do is change into the indoor shoes found in the shoe locker you rented. The shoe lockers are attained in enrollment. Your shoe locker number should be found in your certificate of matriculation." Risa instructed.
Dark takes out a slip out of his pocket. "Is this what you're talking about?" he asked.
"Un," Risa said. "May I see it?"
"Yeah, sure." Dark said, handing the slip to Risa. Risa looks in it and reads it. She shows a number found in his slip. "It says 'S-510', means you're locker is number 510 in south wing."
"I see. Thank you," Dark smiles.
Risa returns the slip to Dark. "You're welcome," she smiles in return.
"See you, then, Harada-san." Dark said.
Risa catches up to Dark, following him. "Also, so you could find it much easier, there is actually a trick on the numbers." she said.
"Yeah?"
"The lockers are 10,000 in each wing. Each cabinet case contains 1,000 shoe lockers. one-digit, two-digit and three-digit numbers are found on the first row of lockers you will find, from left if you are from the south gate; right if you are from inside. Since your number is three-digit number, you'd find yours there."
"Oh," Dark said.
"You're 510, right?"
"Yeah." Dark said.
"It means, your locker is the fifth row from above and on the tenth column from the left." Risa said.
"Yeah? That'll be helpful. Thank you," Dark said.
"My locker is 510, too, you know." Risa said.
Dark looked at Risa.
"On the north wing," Risa laughs. "But isn't it funny how we've got the same locker number?"
"Yeah," Dark laughs. Dark looks down on her shoes. "We're from north wing. You haven't changed your shoes, Harada-san."
Risa looks down on her shoes and laughs. "Yeah. You're right." she said. "I must've spaced out,"
Dark laughs. "Well, thank you again. You're really a great help."
Risa smiles. "What section are you, Hikari-kun?"
"Section A," Dark said.
"Satoshi-kun is on the same section as mine. Section B," Risa said.
"I see," Dark said and smiles.
Silence.
"Well, it's really nice meeting you, Harada-san." Dark said.
"Y-yeah...I-I'll go back now. See you later," Risa said and bade.
"Yeah," Dark smiled.
Risa bowed slightly and turned her back on him.
Dark stares at Risa as she leaves. Risa looks back to him and finds him staring at her. Dark bids at her, smiling. Dark shakes his head. "Girls today are very aggressive," he murmurs. He chuckles and goes to his locker.
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With the noise, the crowd, the rushing hour and the pile of books to bring, Riku finds it annoying on why she should get through the tough, seemingly long day.
"To hell with Risa forgetting her books. She obviously did this on purpose!" Riku whined. She runs to the school building to the shoe locker area.
Riku gasps seeing more noisy crowds on the shoe locker area. "I hate first day of school," she said. She breathes in heavily and presses herself through the crowd. "Excuse me!" she squealed.
She finally finds her locker and presses harder through the crowd. "I'm sorry. Excuse me!" she shrieked.
There is a guy using his locker that is below hers.
"Tch," Riku sighs deeply. "I'm sorry. Excuse me, I'll use my locker...above yours,"
"Eh?" Dark got surprised, feeling a push on his head.
"I'm sorry. I'll be done in a minute," she said.
Dark moved aside and stood behind her. He glared at her.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm really in a rush,"
"I can see that," Dark said. He notices the pile of books in her arm. Her arm is struggling to keep hold of them.
Dark peeks for her face.
Riku lowers her head to wear her indoor shoes. She picks up her outdoor shoes but the books in her arms slipped. "Ah!" she screamed.
Dark frowns and looks away. The narrowed hallway has become narrower because Riku is picking up the books. Dark has no choice but to help her pick up. He picks up some books and looks at her. His eyes freeze as it sees her. Face the same as Risa's but her eyes are narrower and appealing. Her lips are drier but more naturally rosy in color. Her hair is short and plainly combed down and auburn in color. She looks simpler than Risa but her build is more in shape – just what a mature man would usually look for.
"Thank you very much and I'm very sorry," she said as she picked up the last book and looked at him. Dark's eyes were stuck on her and so were hers on him.
Riku takes the books on his hands and gets on her feet. "Th-thank you," she says. She puts her outdoor shoes in her locker and closes it. "Y-you...can use yours now. Thank you...again." With that, Riku leaves after giving him a shy smile.
"I'm Hikari Shuichi." Dark said. "You are-?"
Riku turns around for him. "Hikari?" "Un."
"I think I've heard of that name before," Riku said. Her words flew along with the loud voices of the people around their place. "Pardon?" Dark said.
"Nothing, nothing. I said my name is Riku. Harada Riku,"
"Harada?" Dark repeated. Riku nods, smiling. Dark recalls Risa's last name. "They must be twins." he thought.
"Riku-chan." he said.
Riku blinked. "H-hai?"
"It's such a waste if I have to call you 'Harada-san'. Mind if I call you 'Riku-chan' instead?" Dark smiles at Riku charmingly.
Riku laughs. "It's fine," Riku said, something she unusually lets other people do.
"That's nice. Thank you...Riku-chan," he said and laughs.
Riku laughs. "What section are you?"
"Ah. Three, A." Dark said. "I'm...three...A." he laughs.
Riku laughs. "You're a third year," she said. Dark nods, smiling. Riku adds, "I'm second year. Section B."
"Yeah? I have a brother who's second year, section B as well." Dark said.
"Who is it? I may know him," Riku asked.
"Uh...Hikari Satoshi." Dark said.
"Hikari...Satoshi?" Riku said. "Don't you mean...Hiwatari Satoshi? Hiwatari-kun is the only Satoshi in our class."
"Ah, right, that would be Hiwatari Satoshi," Dark said.
"How come-"
"Long story," Dark smiles.
"I see," Riku said.
"But I'll tell you about it," Dark asked. "if you're free after class."
"Huh? Uh...no. Sorry," Riku said. "Tomorrow, maybe."
"What are you going to do after class?" Dark asked.
"I have practice...for varsity players, today. I do sports, you see." Riku said.
"I see," Dark said. "How about...I wait you after your practice?"
"Uh...practice will probably finish early anyway. I think that's possible," Riku smiles.
"That's great. Oh, and also," Dark looks at Riku. Riku looks attentively listening to him. Dark smiles. "You see, I'm new here. I was wondering if you could, you know, give me a tour around the school. In return, I'll buy you dinner and take you home," Dark said.
"Oh," Riku laughs. "Okay,"
"That's great. Then after class, I'll wait for you here so you could take me to the field then I'll wait you there...well, while watching you." Dark laughs.
"Okay," Riku laughs. "Then I'll be seeing you later, Hikari-kun," she bade, walking away.
"It's Shuichi-kun," Dark said.
"Eh?"
"I prefer you call me 'Shuichi-kun'. Just to be fair. You let me call you 'Riku-chan'." Dark said.
"Ah...okay," Riku smiles.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Uh...we have classes." Riku laughed and bade.
"Oh, yeah. Then later, okay?" Dark reminded.
"Okay." Riku said. "Shuichi-kun."
Dark snaps his fingers and points at Riku. "That's my girl," he cheers.
Riku laughs. "I'll see you later," she said. Dark bids at her and she turns her back on him. She laughs at herself.
"Hikari-kun," Risa called.
"Oh, you're back." Dark said.
"You were talking to someone?" Risa asked.
"Yeah," Dark said. "Someone...I knew,"
He will be the fourth Dark-san Riku met in her life: one when she was 14, one was when she was 16, one that was once an unusual-looking rabbit. She loved the Dark-san she met while she was 16, it was a year ago and the pain of her unrequited love is still very fresh but this Dark-san who is named Hikari Shuichi, a sudden-appearing brother of Hiwatari Satoshi, had her heart so lightly for him. It's like he was a lost friend or relative or even a lover. She could not explain the strange feeling but nevertheless, she would like to be attached to him.
-THE END-?
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NOTE: Paynali!(Finally!) This is the last chapter. Hope you like this fanfic just as much as I love the Dark-Riku pairing. Nyahaa...I lab dem su mach! And, oh! Review please...(",)...peace.V.