Chapter 2 – Returning to School
I went down the hallway and then the stairs of the mansion to meet up with Rukia, who was waiting patiently for me to come down.
"Geez, Kyouko! What the hell took you so long?! We're going to be late!"
Well, okay. Maybe not "patiently".
"S-Sorry, Rukia. This uniform was hard to put on."
"*sigh* Only you would say that. Come on, we'll have to stop at the corner store for breakfast during the drive there."
"Drive? You mean we're not walking there?"
"Walk? Ha! Do you really think us Yamabukis would waste our time with such a petty thing as "walking to school"?"
"B-But my last name is Toshinio…" I said with a sweatdrop.
"Eh. It doesn't matter. We're not "walking" to school. James! Prepare the limo!"
"Yes, Lady Rukia." The butler, known as James, then went outside to perform such command.
"A limo? Isn't that a bit…much?"
"Oh, sweet cousin of mine." Rukia started patting my head. "You have a lot to learn into becoming an elegant rich school girl such as myself. Don't worry, though. I, Rukia Yamabuki, Queen of Volleyball, will teach you everything I know. Free of charge, of course. Ohhohohoho!"
"Uh…thanks, Rukia." I gained my forth sweatdrop of the day.
Rukia and I got into the limo and were now being driven to the school. Well, in my case, this is my new school. The old one…too many people knew about what happened to me. And I just couldn't take all the attention anymore.
And so, I moved in with my uncle and now (well, I was supposed to start 2 months ago but I stalled) go to school with my cousin. A school named…Ko-ha-tsu? What?
"H-Hey, Rukia. Wh-What kind of school is this Kohatsu?"
"It's just your standard basic high school. Nothing special about it."
"Lady Rukia, I highly suggest that you should tell Lady Kyouko that it is an all-girls school." James said.
"Hmph. Even with that, it's nothing special."
"Then why are you attending?"
"Tch. W-Well, I…I-If you think you can explain it better than I can, then go right ahead!"
"Very well, Lady Rukia." James then cleared his throat. "Kohatsu is an elite all-girls high school in which the only way to get accepted is to gain a recommendation. Whether it be academic, sports, or simply just buying it."
"Buying it?" I asked.
"The last one applies to you, Lady Kyouko."
"So, you guys just bought my way into this school?"
"Hey, it was the only way at such short notice." Rukia said. "Most people don't change schools three months into the year."
"Oh, yeah…" I said in a sad tone.
"Well, don't worry about it. You had a pretty good reason to switch schools."
"Yeah, but…even then…will I be okay there? Will it be a repeat of my old school? The stares, the rumors, the isolation. If all of that happens again because of my past, then…"
"Geez, you worry too much, Cousin. I already told you. No one there knows about the incident. And as long as you keep it to yourself, no one will ever will. Got it?"
You make it sound easy, Rukia. But there's no telling when I'll start thinking about it again. This is something that I can never forget, after all.
"*sigh* I guess." I said.
"Oh, right. Keep these with you." Rukia then tossed a pill bottle over to me. And I was really confused as to why.
"They're anxiety pills. Takes those 3 times a day."
"Wh-When was I prescribed anxiety pills?"
"You don't remember? Your therapist prescribed them after your first visit. It just took a while for them to get filled. Slow-ass pharmacist."
"Huh." I said while looking at the pill bottle.
Man…is my brain so traumatized that I'm losing all other memories? That first appointment wasn't that long ago. How did I forget?
"By the way, Kyouko. How come you're not wearing…that?"
"That?" I asked. But in all honestly, I knew what she was talking about.
"You know that. Your ribbon."
"*sigh* I…I can't wear that anymore. It reminds me of…her."
"That's…understandable. I do miss her, too."
"*sniff* R-Rukia…"
"*sigh* Come here." Rukia grabbed a hold of me and allowed me to cry over her shoulder. To this day, 5 months after the most horrific day of my life, it still haunts me. Not only did I lose my sense of safety and innocence, but I also lost someone near and dear to me. Someone that makes me question why did I survive that nightmare from Hell and she didn't.
"She didn't deserve to die! She really didn't! I miss her so much and I want her to come back to me!
I-I…
I-I want…
I-I WANT MY MOMMY BACK! WAAAAAAAAAA!"
"There, there. Just let it all out, Cousin."
"Shall I make an extra lap, Lady Rukia?" James asked.
"Yeah. This might take a while."
We had finally arrived at the school. And once I had stopped crying, I stepped out of the limo and took a look at my new school.
There were a lot of ways to describe it as. But the one thing that first came to mind was…
"Woah…this place is HUGE."
"Of course, it is." Rukia said as she stood next to me. "It isn't " an elite school that only accepts recommendations" for nothing, you know."
"Right." I then went silent for a bit. "Come to think about it, how did you get accepted into this school again?"
"What?! You mean you forgot?!"
"W-Well, the last time we've been together this long was in our grade school days." I started rubbing the back of my head. "There's still stuff that I don't really know about you. Even though you constantly brag about it."
"Hmph. Well, ignoring that last remark, I'll tell you." Rukia then cleared her throat. "I got accepted into this school because I am Rukia Yamabuki! Daughter of Kinji Yamabuki, heir to the throne of Yamabuki Works Co., and the…"
"Self-proclaimed."
"…Volleyball Queen of the World!"
…
"Wait…"
"*giggle* I see you're lively as ever this morning." Said a girl with short brown hair and orange-like eyes.
"D-Damnit, Tsu! Quit interrupting my monologue!"
"I would…but pissing you off is just way too fun for me to stop. So, I'll pass."
"Why you little…"
This is Tsubaki Hirai. Often goes by her nickname "Tsu". She's Rukia's childhood friend and the two had always gone to school together.
…
Thought the "childhood friends" part is rather confusing to me. Because Tsu likes to tease Rukia about her "rich girl" personality and it pisses Rukia off. A lot.
It's by far the weirdest friendship I've ever seen. Knowing my cousin and all. But I'm no stranger to weird friendships myself. As I'll explain later.
"Anyway. I came to see the new transfer student finally making her debut. I've been wondering when you'll actually step foot onto the school grounds, Kyouko."
"Y-Yeah." I rubbed the back of my head again. "I know that I was supposed to start 2 months ago, but…things happened."
"Right. Things happened."
"Hey, go easy on her." Rukia said. "She's still going through a lot."
"I know, I know. I'm just surprised that you're actually this caring for someone. Is there like a switch inside you somewhere?"
"Sh-Shut up! I'm just helping out my baby cousin as much as I can. After all, she needs me and my guidance right now."
"You're only a month older than me. I'm not your "baby" cousin." I grew insulted.
"I see." Tsu said with a giggle. "Well, I'm sure having the cousin of the ever-so-popular and self-proclaimed Volleyball Queen Rukia Yamabuki attending our school will be an interesting event on its own."
"Y-Yeah. I-I'm…kinda excited myself."
"Hey, don't think I didn't hear that "self-proclaimed" bullcrap in the middle of that sentence." Rukia said with a pissed off tone and look.
"*giggle* You have good hearing, as usual, Rukia."
"Of course, I do. I AM a lady, after all."
"Uh…" I didn't get how being a lady gave you good hearing. But I decided not to question it.
"And besides. With you and Ayano constantly teasing me, I have no choice but to have good hearing. Both of you are truly something else."
Ayano? Is that another friend of hers?
"This is coming from our volleyball captain who sometimes spends her free time thinking of cool names for her "Super Special Move"." Tsu then said to me.
"W-Wow, Rukia. You actually do that?"
"I-I-I, w-w-well…" Rukia's face was blushed with embarrassment as a secret of hers was spilled out without a care in the world.
"Long story short…yes." Tsu said with a cheeky grin.
"Tch. Sc-Screw you, Tsu!"
"Hey, that rhymes." I said.
"You shut up! Let's go get your crap already!" Rukia then grabbed my arm and she was now pulling me towards the entrance of my new school. About to start over my school life after a long period of isolation.
"See you girls later." Tsu said. "And I hope you have a good time here, Kyouko."
Honestly, Tsu…I'm hoping the same thing.
Author's Note: After much comfort and encouragement from Rukia, Kyouko starts attending her new school. Although, she still has second thoughts about it all. Mainly about her past.
As I said before, characters from the Inner Struggles stories are being used here. Although, not all of them. And the ones that will return will have minor changes made to fit with the story.
One more chapter to go. So, if you're still interested, keep on reading. Later.