Chapter 2: Charmed
"How. on Earth." Rukawa's hushed voice broke the silence of the empty street. "Nani. nanishiterun. desu ka?" The voice. it came again. Only that it was singing a beautiful, soothing tune, that relieved his tense muscles. There were no words to the song, just a simple tune. However, it sounded. heavenly.
He wanted to question Aphrodite, but stopped himself. His questions were too many to be answered, and moreover, talking was not his style of communication, if they was any, anyway. Those questions of his, he believed, could only be answered by himself, that was why he had to search for those answers.
Snow started to fall from the sky, flake after flake of delicate whiteness. He caught one on the tip of his tongue, the snowflake settling softly on its moisture. He loved doing that ever since he was young. before he left the Orphanage. He had left before Sakuragi. He would recognize the red-head anywhere. and was puzzled at first when Sakuragi did not seem to remember him. He ignored that fact later, because he did not care. At least, that was what he would like to think.
He liked Sakuragi. A lot. Even before leaving the Orphanage. He recalled the fateful day when his uncle fetched him from the gate.
[FLASHBACK]
13-year-old Rukawa looked at Hanamichi, his blue orbs glistening with tears. The red-head was, surprisingly, in total control of himself. Silently, he removed his old scarf and put it around Rukawa's neck.
"Ganbatte ne, Kaede-chan," Hanamichi smiled. "We'll definitely meet each other again. I'll be living in Kanagawa, with my Oto-san, who will be coming tomorrow. Remember! I'll be in Kanagawa!" Rukawa nodded, looking sad and lost. Hanamichi took Rukawa's hand and put something in it. He opened up and gasped in awe. It was a beautiful self-made charm.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Hanamichi. I don't know why to say." Kaede blinked as a tall, burly man walked towards him. "Kaede, let's get in the car. Your mother's waiting." "Ah. Jaa, Hanamichi!"
"Jaa! Remember to take care of the scarf! I knitted it!" The voice had echoed in his ears again and again, while he looked back from the car. A tear trickled down his cheek. "Jaa, Hanamichi. I promise, I'll find you."
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Rukawa took a deep breath of the chilly air and stuck a gloved hand into the pocket of his coat, pulling out a tiny velvet box. He tossed it into the air as he walked, and it fell into his possession again. Slowly, he opened the cover, revealing the very same charm that Hanamichi had given him when they were both thirteen and leaving the Orphanage. He examined every detail of the beautiful looking charm. A tear-shaped bead of clear quartz with pink sequined flowers on top of it. The scarf that he was currently wearing now was the one that Hanamichi made for him. Even though it looked old, and needed a few extra stitches from time to time, Rukawa treasured it.
Hana-chan. He is so much like a friend, yet so much of a rival. How can he forget about me? I'm supposed to be his best friend. Ever since the first few days of school, we were like brothers. He. nan de.
A wave of uncertainty passed him as he passed the Sakuragi Residence. It was similar to his. Lonely, and very quiet. He wondered if Hanamichi still lived with his father, or even met up with his mother. Maybe he had siblings? Just then, Rukawa realized how little he knew about Hanamichi, even though he was his best friend in the past. He felt hurt when Hanamichi hated him starting from the very start when they entered Shohoku. Very hurt.
It was never his idea to school in Kanagawa. It was for Sakuragi Hanamichi. He tried to look for the red-head in the district, but never found him when he was still in junior high. And he admitted to Shohoku, feeling near hopeless. But they met. And he was suffering from amnesia. How he did, was never known. It was strange that that red-head never spoke of it. The snow started falling faster, and the chilly wind struck his bare face hard.
Shimatta. Must get home soon.
Silently, he fought against the wind as he wound the scarf around his face, leaving only his eyes. He removed the keys from his pockets and stuck it in the key-hole of a gate, which opened. He slid another into the door behind the gate and finally entered the warm interior of his house. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the living room.
He was SURE that he came into the right house, since the keys fitted and such. He remembered that the walls were white, and the whole house was full of silence and was cold, literally. Now, the walls were a beautiful shade of light blue, compromising his white marble floor and midnight blue couch. The rest of the furniture were the usual. mostly black, white and midnight blue.
On the table was a parcel. A parcel wrapped in glossy white paper, and light blue ribbons. "Nani de yo." he said under his breath, softly. He hardly received presents, even during occasions like Christmases and birthdays. He hardly knew his relatives, and his parents were always away. and always forgetting his presence.
He hated to admit it, but he liked getting presents. At least, some one had showed that he or she cared. While relishing the feeling of receiving a gift, he wondered why and how it got in the house. Slowly, he removed the paper neatly to reveal a large box. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw its contents. The box was half-filled with folded stars in gold paper, and on it, was Sakuragi Hanamichi's diary.
With a start, he dropped the box on the floor, and the gold stars rolled out, glistening under the light. "Ko. kore wa." Gasping, Rukawa picked the diary up again. Why was that do'aho's diary in that box? A crystal was in the box as well. It was of a translucent blue. Resembling how he showed himself to the world - Icy.
"RED-HAIRED MONKEY!"
"NANI?!"
Sparks flew between the two "monkeys" and Hanamichi turned away. "I won't waste my time on a stupid animal." "Now WHO's the stupid ANIMAL, Sakuragi, hm?" Kiyota growled. Sakuragi laughed and pointed at Kiyota. "YOU!" "NANI???"
"Whatever. It's late. I'm going home."
"Demo. what about Akihara-sensei?"
"Huh?" Hanamichi blinked. "What about her?"
A vein popped on Kiyota's fist. "She's the matron of the orphanage AND she passed away! She took you in when you're little!" Hanamichi shrugged. "I don't know her." Kiyota sweat-dropped as Hanamichi grabbed his bag and marched out of the gym, singing his "Ore wa Tensai" song. A stone- like structure was wrapped in gray paper in front of his door, addressed to him.
Hanamichi raised an eyebrow. "Ne? A gift?" He ripped the paper open and stared at what he received. "A PINK crystal? Who would give this kind of stuff to me, ne." Yawning, he ignored his own question and entered his house, slamming the door behind him.
"How. on Earth." Rukawa's hushed voice broke the silence of the empty street. "Nani. nanishiterun. desu ka?" The voice. it came again. Only that it was singing a beautiful, soothing tune, that relieved his tense muscles. There were no words to the song, just a simple tune. However, it sounded. heavenly.
He wanted to question Aphrodite, but stopped himself. His questions were too many to be answered, and moreover, talking was not his style of communication, if they was any, anyway. Those questions of his, he believed, could only be answered by himself, that was why he had to search for those answers.
Snow started to fall from the sky, flake after flake of delicate whiteness. He caught one on the tip of his tongue, the snowflake settling softly on its moisture. He loved doing that ever since he was young. before he left the Orphanage. He had left before Sakuragi. He would recognize the red-head anywhere. and was puzzled at first when Sakuragi did not seem to remember him. He ignored that fact later, because he did not care. At least, that was what he would like to think.
He liked Sakuragi. A lot. Even before leaving the Orphanage. He recalled the fateful day when his uncle fetched him from the gate.
[FLASHBACK]
13-year-old Rukawa looked at Hanamichi, his blue orbs glistening with tears. The red-head was, surprisingly, in total control of himself. Silently, he removed his old scarf and put it around Rukawa's neck.
"Ganbatte ne, Kaede-chan," Hanamichi smiled. "We'll definitely meet each other again. I'll be living in Kanagawa, with my Oto-san, who will be coming tomorrow. Remember! I'll be in Kanagawa!" Rukawa nodded, looking sad and lost. Hanamichi took Rukawa's hand and put something in it. He opened up and gasped in awe. It was a beautiful self-made charm.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Hanamichi. I don't know why to say." Kaede blinked as a tall, burly man walked towards him. "Kaede, let's get in the car. Your mother's waiting." "Ah. Jaa, Hanamichi!"
"Jaa! Remember to take care of the scarf! I knitted it!" The voice had echoed in his ears again and again, while he looked back from the car. A tear trickled down his cheek. "Jaa, Hanamichi. I promise, I'll find you."
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Rukawa took a deep breath of the chilly air and stuck a gloved hand into the pocket of his coat, pulling out a tiny velvet box. He tossed it into the air as he walked, and it fell into his possession again. Slowly, he opened the cover, revealing the very same charm that Hanamichi had given him when they were both thirteen and leaving the Orphanage. He examined every detail of the beautiful looking charm. A tear-shaped bead of clear quartz with pink sequined flowers on top of it. The scarf that he was currently wearing now was the one that Hanamichi made for him. Even though it looked old, and needed a few extra stitches from time to time, Rukawa treasured it.
Hana-chan. He is so much like a friend, yet so much of a rival. How can he forget about me? I'm supposed to be his best friend. Ever since the first few days of school, we were like brothers. He. nan de.
A wave of uncertainty passed him as he passed the Sakuragi Residence. It was similar to his. Lonely, and very quiet. He wondered if Hanamichi still lived with his father, or even met up with his mother. Maybe he had siblings? Just then, Rukawa realized how little he knew about Hanamichi, even though he was his best friend in the past. He felt hurt when Hanamichi hated him starting from the very start when they entered Shohoku. Very hurt.
It was never his idea to school in Kanagawa. It was for Sakuragi Hanamichi. He tried to look for the red-head in the district, but never found him when he was still in junior high. And he admitted to Shohoku, feeling near hopeless. But they met. And he was suffering from amnesia. How he did, was never known. It was strange that that red-head never spoke of it. The snow started falling faster, and the chilly wind struck his bare face hard.
Shimatta. Must get home soon.
Silently, he fought against the wind as he wound the scarf around his face, leaving only his eyes. He removed the keys from his pockets and stuck it in the key-hole of a gate, which opened. He slid another into the door behind the gate and finally entered the warm interior of his house. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the living room.
He was SURE that he came into the right house, since the keys fitted and such. He remembered that the walls were white, and the whole house was full of silence and was cold, literally. Now, the walls were a beautiful shade of light blue, compromising his white marble floor and midnight blue couch. The rest of the furniture were the usual. mostly black, white and midnight blue.
On the table was a parcel. A parcel wrapped in glossy white paper, and light blue ribbons. "Nani de yo." he said under his breath, softly. He hardly received presents, even during occasions like Christmases and birthdays. He hardly knew his relatives, and his parents were always away. and always forgetting his presence.
He hated to admit it, but he liked getting presents. At least, some one had showed that he or she cared. While relishing the feeling of receiving a gift, he wondered why and how it got in the house. Slowly, he removed the paper neatly to reveal a large box. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw its contents. The box was half-filled with folded stars in gold paper, and on it, was Sakuragi Hanamichi's diary.
With a start, he dropped the box on the floor, and the gold stars rolled out, glistening under the light. "Ko. kore wa." Gasping, Rukawa picked the diary up again. Why was that do'aho's diary in that box? A crystal was in the box as well. It was of a translucent blue. Resembling how he showed himself to the world - Icy.
"RED-HAIRED MONKEY!"
"NANI?!"
Sparks flew between the two "monkeys" and Hanamichi turned away. "I won't waste my time on a stupid animal." "Now WHO's the stupid ANIMAL, Sakuragi, hm?" Kiyota growled. Sakuragi laughed and pointed at Kiyota. "YOU!" "NANI???"
"Whatever. It's late. I'm going home."
"Demo. what about Akihara-sensei?"
"Huh?" Hanamichi blinked. "What about her?"
A vein popped on Kiyota's fist. "She's the matron of the orphanage AND she passed away! She took you in when you're little!" Hanamichi shrugged. "I don't know her." Kiyota sweat-dropped as Hanamichi grabbed his bag and marched out of the gym, singing his "Ore wa Tensai" song. A stone- like structure was wrapped in gray paper in front of his door, addressed to him.
Hanamichi raised an eyebrow. "Ne? A gift?" He ripped the paper open and stared at what he received. "A PINK crystal? Who would give this kind of stuff to me, ne." Yawning, he ignored his own question and entered his house, slamming the door behind him.
