Disclaimer: The characters of Fushigi Yuugi belong to Yuu Watase. But any new characters belong to me. ^_^
Chapter 14. The illusion continues. When will it end? I have no idea. _
Chapter 14: Ordinary WorldTwo days later, four new students entered Yotsubadai high school. Two of them were in Youjin's classes…the ones who called themselves Chiriko and Tasuki. The others, Hotohori and Nuriko, were a few grades above them. Nonetheless, all four seemed to be good friends.
Chiriko and Tasuki were both in Youjin's fourth period class, right before lunch. Neither spoke to him until then.
He had just sat down with Nisou at an empty table when he heard a voice.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" It was Chiriko. He was standing over the table, lunch in hand. Youjin blinked, surprised, and nodded.
"Sure," he muttered.
"Thanks," Chiriko said.
"Hey, pretty girl. You wouldn't mind if I sat here too, would you?" Nisou looked up at the new boy who was hitting on her…Tasuki.
"E-excuse me?" she stuttered.
"C'mon, a gorgeous babe like you's gotta have some, ah, company." Tasuki winked at her, and Youjin frowned.
"Sorry pal, she's taken," Youjin snapped. Tasuki scowled at him and sat down beside Chiriko.
"Well excuuuuuse me," he muttered, toying with his food.
"You're in my fourth period, right?" Youjin asked. "And Nisou's too?"
"Yeah," Tasuki muttered. "But fuck, that class was boring!" He looked up and saw a teacher giving him an angry look.
"Tasuki, you need to watch your language here," Chiriko reminded him. Tasuki nodded and sighed.
"So where'd you guys transfer here from?" Youjin asked. Tasuki and Chiriko seemed at a loss of words when the question was asked. After thinking for a few moments, Chiriko answered,
"Our school closed a few weeks ago." And Youjin left it at that.
"This is a pretty nice-lookin' place," Tasuki said, looking around.
"Chiriko! Tasuki! So this is where you went to!" an older girl shouted, walking in their direction. Another boy, about her age, was following her.
"Nuriko, Hotohori!" Chiriko greeted them. "Why don't you join us? That is, if you two don't mind…" he added, looking at Youjin and Nisou. Having given up all hope of having peace and quiet, Youjin sighed in defeat.
"Why not?"
"Thank you…my name is Hotohori, and this is Nuriko," the boy said. Youjin studied them…both looked like they should be modeling, or at least already graduating. They were both beautiful.
"I'm Youjin…this is my girlfriend, Nisou." Nisou blushed and leaned against Youjin, smiling.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you," she said, a bit timidly.
"Nice to meet you, too! So, what grade are you two in?" Nuriko asked.
"Uhhh…tenth," Youjin told her.
"What about you? You don't look like you're our age- I mean, you seem older," Nisou stuttered.
"We're in twelfth," Hotohori explained.
"So they're seniors…" Youjin thought. "Tasuki and Chiriko are our age…at least, I think Chiriko is…he looks kind of young." He asked Chiriko," How old are you? I mean, you're smart and all, but you don't look that old…"
"I'm fourteen," Chiriko explained. (A/N: I changed his age just a bit…let's just say he was almost fourteen anyways, and his birthday was recently or something. ^_^;;)
"You must be really smart," Nisou said, amazed.
"Yeah! Chiriko's a fuckin' genius!" Tasuki shouted. At the remark, several more supervising teachers scowled at him.
"Tasuki…" Chiriko began.
"I know, I fuckin' know! Sheesh!" He looked at Youjin for a minute. "He doesn't seem to remember anything…what the hell is wrong with him, anyways?"
Youjin was carefully studying the four new students. They were all a bit odd, to say the least. But they seemed so familiar…
The bell rang soon after that and Youjin stood, ready to go to class.
"Well, it was nice to meet all of you," he said. "Maybe I'll see you around." He turned and left, waving good-bye to the four new students.
"So, you don't have to leave yet?" Nuriko asked, looking at Nisou.
"Actually, I do," she explained. "Maybe I'll see you later, bye!" She stood and threw her lunch away, then left the cafeteria.
"He doesn't remember anything," Nuriko muttered. She sighed and looked at her food.
"This stuff's almost as bad as what Miaka cooks," Tasuki muttered, jabbing his food with his fork.
"Yeah," Chiriko agreed. Hotohori looked at it skeptically and pushed his tray away.
"Suddenly, I've lost my appetite," he said.
"But we don't have time to worry about food right now," Chiriko pointed out. "We need to figure out how to make Youjin remember everything."
"Oh! I think I have a plan!" Nuriko shouted, and explained her idea to the others. Tasuki grinned when she was done.
"I'm all for it…sounds like fun."
"We'll all take part in this," Hotohori said. "We don't have a choice."
~*~
They waited for Youjin after school, and ambushed him when he left the building.
"Hi!" Nuriko greeted him.
"Jeez, you guys scared me," Youjin shrieked, jumping about three feet off of the ground.
"Uh, sorry…" All four of them sweatdropped.
"Youjin!" Nisou cried, running towards him.
"Hey!" he shouted, hugging her when she arrived. She looked at the four students gathered around them, looking with quite a bit of interest.
"What're you all looking at?" she asked, glaring at them. "Perverts…"
"Hmmph! So much for being friends!" Nuriko muttered.
"No, I'm sorry, that was rude," Nisou apologized. "Let's start over, okay? Hi, nice to see you."
"Hi Nisou and Youjin!" Chiriko greeted cheerfully. Tasuki glanced at Nuriko, who nodded slightly at him. He grinned and said,
"Hey, little ghost!" he joked. Youjin froze. That name…! "Somethin' wrong, kid?"
"Youjin?" Hotohori asked. The boy still didn't respond.
"T-Tasuki," he whispered after a few moments. "What did you call me?"
"Uhhh…little ghost? Why?"
"Where did you come up with that?" Tasuki became nervous…what would he say?
"Where'd I come up with it? Well, uh…I…that is…it was my buddy's nickname…you kinda look like him, so I guess…I dunno. Fuck, why does it matter?"
"I-I don't know, it just…" Youjin shook his head. "Nothing, never mind."
"Youjin…are you okay?" Nisou asked. "You've been acting strangely for the past few days…"
"I'm fine, Nisou. Really," he whispered. "But I should probably be getting home…"
"Me too…I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Nisou turned and ran in the other direction, taking the shorter way to her home.
"Well you shouldn't go alone," Nuriko muttered. "Seriously, you're as white as a ghost…Hotohori, maybe you and I should walk him home?" Hotohori shrugged and replied,
"It doesn't matter to me. I don't have any other plans."
"Well, I have to get home…and I'm sure Tasuki does too." Chiriko looked at the flame-haired boy. "Right?" Tasuki nodded. "So we'll see you tomorrow…Youjin, I hope you feel better!" They took off in the other direction.
"You really don't mind going with me?" Youjin asked, looking at the two remaining companions.
"Of course not!" Nuriko said. "Why would we?"
"No reason…I was just wondering." He stood up and started to walk, with Hotohori and Nuriko close behind.
"You and Nisou seem very close," Hotohori said. Youjin blushed and replied,
"Yeah. She's my girlfriend."
"How cute," Nuriko cooed. She leaned closer to Hotohori, who put his arm around her.
"Are you two-" Youjin began.
"Yup," Nuriko told him.
"Okay." An uncomfortable silence followed, until Nuriko whispered something to Hotohori. He cleared his throat and asked,
"So- ow!" Nuriko had elbowed him in the side.
"So, Youjin, what's your family like?" Nuriko asked quickly.
"Huh?" Why did they want to know about…
"Well, I like knowing about people, you know?" Nuriko said. "I'm just curious."
"Okay, whatever," Youjin muttered.
"Well?"
"My parents are okay. A bit on the odd side, but still pretty cool."
"Who's the good cook? One of them has to be able to cook…"
"My mom. Although my dad said her cooking used to be terrible." Youjin grinned. "He also said that it was weird since she used to like to eat a lot." Hotohori and Nuriko shared a private smile.
"And…you still live with both of your parents?"
"Well yeah, why not?"
"Just asking. Trying to make conversation."
"And you, Nuriko? What about your family?"
"You never tell me much about your family either, Nuriko," Hotohori said.
"Uh, you really want to know?" she asked quickly, almost nervously. Youjin and Hotohori nodded. "Really, they're not that interesting. There's my parents…they're pretty ordinary, actually. I have an older brother…and had a younger sister, too."
"Had?" Youjin repeated.
"Yeah…she, uh, she died a while ago. But anyways, enough about me!" she said. "Hey, Youjin, do you have any aunts or uncles?"
"Well, my uncle Keisuke…my mom's brother. And, well, I consider Yui-san like a relative to me, since she and my mom are so close. And I guess that would make her son Suboshi like a cousin to me…" Nuriko nearly gasped…Suboshi? Of course…Yui had been Seiryuu no Miko. She was probably close to Suboshi…and had named her son after him.
"What about your dad's side? Was he an only child or something?"
"No, I don't think so. Actually, I think he had a few younger siblings, but…" He stopped, frowning.
"But?" Nuriko repeated.
"I don't know what happened to them."
"Y-you don't know…?"
"It's like…well, I can almost remember. But it's just slipped my mind. It's really frustrating. I'm sure I'll remember later, but- hey, there's my dad!" He waved at his father, who was just stepping out of his car.
Taka waved back, and walked over to where Youjin, Nuriko, and Hotohori stood. He stopped a few feet away from his son, staring at his companions.
"Hey Dad!" Youjin said.
"Youjin! How was school?" Taka asked, shaking his head. It couldn't be them.
"Great- oh! These guys transferred into Yotsubadai today," he said, pointing to his new friends. "They're seniors. This is-"
"Well, sorry to break this up but we really have to go," Nuriko said. "See you at school, Youjin!" She ran, dragging Hotohori behind her.
