Seeing the confusion and shock that this had brought to the to girls, Mrs. Hououji's expression softened. It was no longer the harsh expression she once held. She sighed.
"Akane," she said to Mrs. Shidou, "I don't think this was what Callista wanted for her daughters…"
Mrs. Akane Shidou's expression also returned to be kind…and ashamed. "Why don't we go some place where we can talk about this?"
Aiko Hououji just nodded and walked away. "Come, Fuu and Sierra…this match is over…"
"That goes for us too," Mrs. Shidou said to Hikaru and Presea. "You're welcome to come with us, Umi…"
Umi just said, "No, that's okay. I know it's family business. But…I'm also not competing."
Emeraude and Zagato nodded as well. Emeraude gently spoke, "It would not be fair if we competed with just the ones of your crew that's left… No, we won't be competing as well… This match is therefore postponed."
The pale blue haired girl smiled. "Thank you…"
Sierra looked at Innova, who hadn't said anything… "Here…" she gave him a slip of paper. "This is for you…" Then she was gone, with her Aunt and Fuu…
Presea also looked back, this time, for Eagle. "Talk to you later, Eagle," she said as she followed Hikaru, Mrs. Shidou, Sierra, Fuu and Mrs. Hououji.
***
They had found a place to talk…It was the Hououji family house. All were present: Hikaru, Fuu, Kakeru, Satoru, Masaru, Mrs. Shidou, Mr. & Mrs. Hououji, and of course, Presea and Sierra.
At first, Hikaru's brothers were shocked by the whole twin concept. They weren't there when the fencing room scene happened. They said they were at the snack bar.
"Alright," Mrs. Shidou sighed, " I guess we'll start now."
Mrs. Hououji also sighed. "In high school, the three of us, Akane, Callista, Presea and Sierra's mother, and I were the inseparable. But the three of us were as different as can be. I was the elegant one, always polite."
"And I was the athletic one…" Mrs Shidou continued on. "Callista was the humorous one, she was the risk-taker, she was a bit athletic & a bit elegant at the same time, and she was… many things." Mrs. Shidou smiled a sad smile remembering her best friend. "Of course, since Callista and Aiko were cousins, I always felt sometimes that they'd had a closer bond."
"Really?" Mrs. Aiko Hououji asked, surprised. "That's what I thought of the two of you together… Both of you went to sports practices together, talked about them…where as I…I was never athletic…"
"I guess I didn't know you felt that way," Mrs. Akane Shidou smiled apologetically. "But I'll tell you one thing…Presea has always been elegant…like her mother and yourself…she always reminded me of the good times…"
"Really?" Mrs. Hououji replied. "I always thought Sierra was like you and Callista…Always athletic…she doesn't like to be elegant and polite much…." She laughed
Sierra and Presea looked like they were gonna burst from embarassment…."But anyway," Mrs. Shidou said, "How about we forget about the Valentines' incident eighteen years ago?"
Mrs. Hououji smiled. "Done."
They shook hands and then went on to business….
"Alright, as you all know, Presea and Sierra are twins…."
"But they have been raised apart because Aiko-chan and I have been pretty silly with that argument for the last eighteen years."
"When Callista gave birth, and she looked rather weak afterwards…the doctor said she couldn't handle giving labor and she wasn't going to make it…" Mrs. Hououji said sadly.
"So she asked the two of us to each take care of one of her twins…"
"But we were still in argument….as a result, you two," Mrs. Hououji began, "were never able to see each other…"
Mrs. Shidou sighed. "That's the story."
***
Innova stared at the paper on his hand. He hadn't opened it yet. He wasn't sure what it was. Sierra had given it to him…
He thought and stared at his artwork that he had posted on his walls. He had heard people say that it was beyond his years. Sure, he thought it was pretty good, but….Was it really enough?
Innova's dream was to become a respected artist. Many people, like his father, had always said there was no money in art. Innova didn't really care… As long as he could do what he loved, he was okay. His father once said he was being naïve, thinking that he could survive in the "real" world just by art. But then again, his father was strictly a professional businessman. He had worked hard for his place in the world right now. But Innova worked hard at his art, not business. He had no interest in that…
He once again looked at the paper on his hand. Sierra had just given it to him and then was gone. Strange how that other girl looked like her…he thought. That lady said the other girl was "her twin"…Was that same girl…in the restaurant yesterday? Does this mean I was right when I said something about her changed when she switched tables?
What Innova liked about Sierra best was that she was devoted. Like he was with his art. What is this piece of paper for? He asked himself, afraid to open it.
Another voice within him spoke. Don't be such a coward!
He slowly opened it and he smiled when he saw what was in it…
It was Sierra's phone number…
***
Eagle closed his eyes as he played his flute. Being harmonious and beautiful as his music filled the room, he thought about the dance this upcoming week. He had a feeling Alcione was waiting for his proposal invitation for the dance…
"What am I joining to say?" Eagle said out loud, only for him to hear. "I wanna ask…."
He stopped. Don't think about it…Do you even know if she likes you? Judging from that this morning, he really couldn't tell. He didn't know if Presea even wanted to go to the dance.
Eagle replayed the expression of Presea's confusion when her guardian, the red-haired lady that was probably the champion martial artist, Hikaru Shidou's mother, said that that identical girl was her twin.
[Flash Back]
Presea looked back at Eagle. "I'll talk to you later."
Is she okay? Eagled wondered. It was mid-afternoon already…Today wasn't what he expected it to be. For one thing, the fencing match was cancelled. And secondly, there was that scene with Presea and…Sierra, or so the guy next to him at the time informed him. Should I ask Presea to the dance?
He didn't really want to go with Alcione, the popular girl who usually cared more about her nails than her friends. She was superficial and she wasn't exactly what people called "nice". She didn't even compare to the Presea…