Part 4 Eyes on me (FF8 theme song. Sung by Faye Wong)
School was no longer in peace after Ferio's incident as his and Sara's affairs were all over school. Almost all people whom Ferio can call friends cast him out, the girls were even worst to Sara-sansei as cruel pranks and jokes were played on her.
"Fuu-san." Shin called when Fuu walked into the classroom and almost all classmates were discussing about Ferio and Sara's affairs and were waiting to hear something from her point of view. Fuu just sighed and shook her head as she allowed Shin and Tsuyoshii to lead her out of the classroom to the roof.
//How did that leak out?// Fuu's hands asked them.
"Well, the police were informed that there was a fight near Sara-sansei's apartment. The police found that Ferio-kun went to hospital because of a stab in his lungs. Masa, Sansei's Ex was laying on the floor and after he woken up, the only thing the police can get from his was that Sara-sansei belongs to him and so Ferio-kun should die. The policemen marched right into the school to see Sara-sansei and that thing just leaked out." Shin said with anxiety in his voice.
Tsuyoshii just said coldly "Fools, narrow minded idiots… what was so fascinating in some news like that? Things like that happens everyday." Tsuyoshii just pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked down the building and everything beneath him in contempt. Fuu just looked up at the sky helplessly and leaned on the fence.
"Everyone loves Sansei before this…" Shin murmured sadly as Tsuyoshii wordlessly put his arm around the shorter boy. Fuu glanced at them then turned away.
Ferio was sitting alone in an empty field, he was ready to burst any minute. He did not care what others were doing to him, but he would not forgive anyone who dares try anything on Sara.
"I swore my life to protect you. But what have I done?" he asked himself bitterly as he buried his head in his arms. Fuu sat down beside him on the grass silently and he did not notice her until five minutes later. Fuu did not mean to interrupt. However, she was alarmed when she saw his shoulders trembling. She sat nearer, put her arms around his trembling form, then held his head to her shoulder as she stroked his hair and back gently and motherly. Ferio bit his lip as he cried on Fuu's shoulder, he knew he can not hear him physically, but he knew that she felt his emotions.
"Fuu…" he whispered in her ear, she leaned closer as if she heard what he said. He pushed back gently and asked, his mouth moving slowly, to let her understand every word he said.
"Is it wrong to love two women at once? What I mean is, I do not want to own them, but I want to protect them, if that was the least I could do." He explained as Fuu dried his tears with her handkerchief.
//Have you consider the consequences of everything?// Fuu asked in sign language and he shook his head.
"Your intentions were good, but you just can not achieve it without a lot of thought. Love takes a lot of thought. There is a lot of planning on how you can make the other person happy. You wanted to protected 2 people at once and that made things even more difficult for you.// Fuu told him rationally, her eyes steady.
"What do you want to say now?" he asked bitterly.
//Think of a way to get Sara-sansei out of this mess as you are part of the problem. Try to use your brain and not your heart some times.// She told him soberly with her hands.
He glared at her angrily then said softly "Why? Why do you have to be like everyone else?" his eyes changed from angry to hurt. Fuu's eyes softened as she reached her hand out to touch him, but before she made any contact with him, she hesitated, then took her hand back and turned away. Ferio stared at Fuu's retreating and bit his lip as he closed his eyes.
//Fuu-san, Sara-sansei wanted to see you.// Tsuyoshii informed Fuu after school and Fuu nodded solemnly.
"Anything on your mind?" Tsuyoshii asked, using sign language.
//If things has to be done, you have to do it yourself, Ferio has to understand this. I guess Ferio must still live under my nose for some more time.// Fuu said in sign language.
//What is your relationship with Ferio really? You knew about Sansei and him all along?// Tsuyoshii asked. Fuu nodded then Tsuyoshii stated //Then you are awfully sacrificing, as Ferio was two hearts about you and her.//
Fuu shook her head then smiled and said with her hands //He is more determined about us that surprised me, he was almost dead stubborn about it.//
//He cares about you more or her more?// Tsuyoshii asked.
//You are being very nosy.// Fuu stated with a little smile.
Tsuyoshii frowned at what he heard in the staff room, all the teachers were hinting that Sara was a nymph or a prostitute and some were commenting on her openly. He glanced at Fuu, she seemed to know what is going on and marched into the office and pretended to be tripped by the cable of the computers and fell. As she fell she pushed every piece of paper off the nearby desk. All attention was on her then. She bowed her head deeply and appeared deceivingly meek when the teachers just glared at her and said nothing. Fuu did not only live under Ferio's shelter, but she is the girl genius that pushes the grades up to the top three secondary school in Japan, no one could afford to lose her. She went to Sara and asked in sign language
//You wished to see me, Sansei?// Sara glanced around the room. Even as Fuu rescued her from all the teachers's words this moment, she did not rescue her from all their gossip and they were all staring at her in contempt. She closed her eye briefly as she asked in sign language
//We can go outside to talk?// Fuu nodded with an understanding smile as she took Sara's hand. Sara was surprised by Fuu's action, no matter how gentle Fuu is, she will not be as sweet to a rival, or is it that Fuu never even see her as a rival?
Sara bowed her head as she passed her students who were casting the two of them weird glances. Yet, they did not seem to have any affect on Fuu when Sara was about to hide herself.
//Have you your wallet?// Fuu asked suddenly with her hand. Sara nodded and looked at the younger girl questioningly. Fuu smiled and led her to the bus station.
Innova was staring at his two guests, one of them was Ferio's girl friend and the other was Fuu. Innova was connecting with Fuu with their minds as he plastered a deceivingly pleasant smile on his face.
"It is entirely my pleasure to see you again, Sensei." He said as his mind said What are you two doing here? his tone rang out a little annoyed in Fuu's head.
Sara bowed deeply and said "Sorry that we are interrupting your work." Fuu's mind's respond was Your place seems the most appropriate of all. She was smiling at him innocently, ignoring his remark.
"Oh, not at all, not at all." Innova said with his mouth, but in his mind, he said I have a lot of work to do!
Like writing reports to avoid taxes and thinking of ways to swallow Microsoft? Fuu asked, her smiled was just as hard as Innova. Sara was deep in her own thoughts to not have noticed that their faces' muscles were turning into stone.
Innova was the one who relented when Fuu started talking about communism like an extreme red, but before he left the room, he cast a worried glance at Fuu. By losing her flame of life, Fuu loose a lot of coloring, her face was as pale as snow and her hair was more like silver than blond. "Why do you have to worry about another's problems when your own existence were at risk?" he asked as he closed the door as he sighed "maybe you ought to be turned into an arch angel now."
//What do you want to say to me about?// Fuu asked with her hands as she sat down on the couch before Sara.
"What is exactly your relationship with Ferio?" Sara asked as she felt shame welling up, she is a teacher and this is her student. What teacher will want to fight for a boy with a student? Through any angle, Fuu suited Ferio more than her.
//Guardian angel and boy.// Fuu answered truthfully.
"Nothing physically romantic?" Sara asked, she would have blushed even more if it was possible.
//Physically whereas?// Fuu asked innocently.
"I mean…sexually romantic…" Sara said softly.
//Does hugs count?// Fuu asked with her hands. Sara lowered her head, why is she talking about sex with a girl eight years younger than her?
Sara changed the subject and asked "Is it possible that you can live without him?" Fuu frowned a little then nodded
//I suppose so, and I must.// Her hands replied as Fuu had an unreadable look in her eyes.
"Why?" Sara asked, a little confused.
//My home is no longer here and I can not have one here, I left once and returned to finish up something I could not finish when I was here.// Fuu replied. Sara nodded and fell silent.
Fuu smiled gently and asked //You have problems that you think I can solve?// Sara looked at her and nodded.
"I really am not trying to ask you to sacrifice yourself for me, but…" she touched her belly gently as a tear slide down her cheek. Fuu smiled as she understood her little gesture.
"Ferio's child?" she asked with her hands as her smile was angelic. Sara nodded and said quietly "It should be his."
//He knows?// Fuu asked. Sara shook her head.
//Tell him, he would be delighted.// Fuu said with her hands. Sara sighed inwardly, as she knew immediately why Ferio just could not help himself from loving the younger girl. Fuu sees him in a totally different angle than anyone else, and they have a little world of their own that no one can go in.
"Will he think he or she is Masa's son?" Sara asked worriedly.
//Does that matter to him? Everything has ended after the fight he fought with Masa. You are released. Therefore, no matter who the father is, as long as you are the mother, Ferio is willing to be the father.// Fuu said with a smile.
"You think so?" Sara asked doubtfully. "I always seemed to think that he is just toying with me… and loved me because I resembled you in some way." Another tear slide down her cheek and Fuu looked confused. "I know, I met him first therefore he should love you because you resembles me, but I think I am just your shadow at times. You were the person whom he loved with all his heart." Sara said softly.
//You are as well.// Fuu noted with a smile when Sara's eyes widened.
//The problem now is to stop all those people from attacking you, is it?// Fuu asked after a while.
Sara just smiled a little and shook her head then said softly "I will quit the job, so you don't have to worry…"
Fuu blinked and asked //Have you done anything that is a shame to the school?// Sara's eyes widened again and murmured "Why… that rumor…"
//Is that about the school or about you two?// Fuu asked.
Sara closed her eyes softly and said "About us…"
//Then we have to tell them that it's none of their business.// Fuu smiled softly.
After Sara left, Fuu was sitting in Innova's office drinking tea. "I sometimes wonder whether you are born to be an angel and not a human." Innova muttered.
//Why?// Fuu asked.
"Being gentle and nice to everyone, even your rival and almost anyone aside from yourself." Innova said as he reached across the desk to touch her forehead. Both their forms glow, after the light died, some of Fuu's color came back to her. "With my help, I am sure you can last a little longer than one month if you will stop stressing over everything that is none of your business. But since you just will not stop worrying about others, your time shortens, I don't know whether you can live 2 weeks even with my help." Innova told her.
Fuu smiled //Thank you for your concern, but I think Ferio can save himself. I will not take the flame back before all his wounds are healed.//
Innova flushed a little and muttered "I'm just concerned about you wasting my energy."
Fuu just smiled and said //Hai, Honto ni gomenasai.//
Fuu went home to see Ferio lying on the couch, asleep. She went to him and saw all homework were set neatly, turned to the right page for her to mark. Beside the books, there was a tray of food on the table covered with a napkin, a little note was laid on top. She curiously picked the note up and read "I know I have been acting childish, you were the rational one and I should not have picked on you because of that. However…" she blinked at what the note "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING, COMING HOME AT THIS TIME OF THE NIGHT? TRYING TO PULL BOYS OUT OF THE BAR AGAIN?" It was written in bold and red outlined with black. She smiled as she folded the note up carefully and put it in her wallet as she went into his room to get him a blanket.
She wrapped the blanket around him motherly as he reached out to hold her hand. "Fuu…" he muttered in his sleep. Fuu read his lips and smiled a little before the next set of words came "Omae wa tenshi…janai ka? (Aren't you an angel?)"
Fuu frowned lightly, but smiled again Bingo. Anata no dake desu. (Your angel.)
She held his hand a little tighter, but found that she did not want to let go, as her flame of life was beckoning to her. She closed her eyes and let the life seep into her. Arigato, Ferio. She smiled as she realized that she did not need Innova to charge her up every time.
Both Ferio and Sara's state of life were not any better, yet they seemed to find some peace in both their hearts. Innova was persuading Ferio to sue Masa for attempted murder so Masa could be locked away, but because Ferio did not want the matter in school to worsen, he chose to let the matter drop. However, as he chose to drop the problem, the school did not, and demanded that Sara clear the matter up in assembly, in front of all the students, as well as the PTA.
Fuu, Shin and Tsuyoshii were standing in line in the hall, Ferio took a deep breath as he stared at the absolutely straight lines of students in front of him. "Fuu…" his mind called softly as he looked down at the front row of the students to see her, smiling at him in encouragement. "Yuuki wo dashite…" He muttered as the principal made his statement about all the rumors flowing around school as well as the scandals in newspapers. Sara looked at the students, she must say that she loved most of them and hate none of them as they have their own lovable ways. And it hurts her all the more to know that they started feeling contempt towards her when they knew about the affairs of herself and Ferio. She looked at Fuu Hououji, the girl genius of her class, she knew Fuu well, she thought. Fuu looked soft most of the time, but she might have all the inner strength that everyone lacked, she was steel under velvet. Then she looked at the representatives of Ferio's family, Emeraude and Innova. She has seen Innova and he strike her as someone who was much deeper than he appears to be, he has power unseen but felt wrapped around him all the time, he has an ageless and flawlessly pretty face. As for Emeraude, she was a fairy tale princess, the long sunlight golden hair that sparkled under lights, the bright eyes that changed from blue to green depending on her mood as well as the perfect features on her face. Both Innova and Emeraude were expressionless, Emeraude did not even look shocked nor humiliated when all the reporters crowded around her, a powerful woman, Sara decided. She must prove her point to all these people.
Emeraude watched everyone on the stage, the Principal of the school looked scandalized and torn apart because he does not know what to do with the two people. Ferio is her brother and she is one of the shareholders of the school therefore the School can do nothing about Ferio. However, what about Sara? Emeraude has always thought that her brother was more or less attracted to Fuu and here comes his teacher. She did not mind much about Sara or Ferio's relationship, however, she wanted to know how Ferio will handle it.
"I am very sorry for whatever trouble I have caused the school and the school has every right to fire me before the matter has worsened to this, therefore I am grateful." Sara said formally to the microphone. "I have always known that a romantic relationship between a teacher is immoral in a traditional sense. But I have been wondering, why is this so?" Sara asked through the microphone.
"Have I neglected my other students? Have I not been doing my job correctly?" she asked the audience. "I will apologize for any inconvenience my relationship caused the school. But I refuse to apologize for the relationship I have with Ferio as it is genuine. At least it is, in my point of view." Sara said softly. The whole hall was quiet and Fuu smiled softly.
"Gold digger…" One of the students yelled, then another voice chorused. Fuu looked around and frowned.
Looked as if she still has some problems to solve. She said as she watched Sara. Sara seemed totally unprepared for this and tears sprang to her eyes. Fuu closed her, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes and prayed silently. Ganbatte kudasai, Sara-sensei.??
As if answering Fuu's prayer, Sara opened her mouth after she wiped her eyes. "I…I am well aware of Ferio's family and noticed that he has an extremely wealthy family. However, I am not attracted to him at first because of the money." Sara said softly as she looked at Ferio. Ferio was looking at her, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I went to him because I thought he needed me." There was silence in the auditorium.
"The first time I felt that I have something for him was when he was in a bar, drinking alone, he was drunken and was crying over his family and a little friend. At that moment I decided I would do anything for him, even if it means going against any school rule. Later, I noticed that I needed him." She said softly.
"If none of you believe I could not do anything about it and if firing me would help, you think, fire me." She said softly, her head bowed.
Fuu looked around and everyone was silent, she took it as a good sign as she heaved a sigh of relieve. Ferio went to the stand and cleared his throat as he looked at her. She smiled encouragingly. Please, don't let him start his speech by a swear word. She prayed inwardly, she knew he is not in any danger, but if he said anything wrong, Sara is going to be fired, no doubt.
"Well, what the hell am I doing here?" that is how Ferio started his speech. He almost laughed to see that all Fuu, Tsuyoshii and Shin to slap their hands to their foreheads in defeat.
"You all are just pointing fingers at us to show that you people are moral, what can we say about that? If you people decided that blaming other people for something that is immoral by traditional standards and that could make you better people, by any means, do so." He said fiercely. Fuu arched an eye brow at what he was saying, she did not expect that from Ferio.
So maybe he is more understanding about human nature than what I thought… Innova and she thought simultaneously.
"I admit I was only curious and only treated everything I did to Sara as a game." Ferio dropped the 'sensei' once and for all. Emeraude smiled a little at herbrother, he already behaved a lot better than what she expected. The worst expected was to beat the principal in to mush then screamed swear words into the microphone until it reached its seventh harmonic to make everyone deaf. Of course it was Innova who put everything into words, yet she could only disagree verbally, deep inside she expected the same from her little brother. From her point of view, she could see that Fuu was visibly praying when Ferio went on stage, She would have done the same. Emeraude simply has to maintain her calm cool and regal appearance, if Zagato is the merchant Prince, she is the crown princess. Fretting over her brother and showing that she has no confidence in him is not how a crown princess behaves.
"Even if I treated everything as a game at first I realized I am a lot more serious about her than I thought and I have seldom been so serious in my life. The last thing I want to say is," he looked at Fuu, she was watching him with some interest, obviously, she was quite impressed by him.
"I am going to beat anyone into mush if they even dared to humiliate Sara." He said quietly, but even more menacing. He stepped off the stand, and in the corner of his eye, he saw that Fuu slapped her hand on her forehead again.
The assembly ended as their teacher and fellow student stunned everyone. The principal ended up saying that what to do with Sara and Ferio will be decided on a staff meeting. Surprisingly, it was Tsuyoshii, the class president as well as the president of the student body who raced up the stage, stopping the principal's retreat while pulling Fuu with him.
"If their fate is decided by the school, then I suggest that the students are supposed to take part." He said after a bow to the principal. Fuu looked at him as she wondered what she was doing up there.
"Pull those two down, Fujimiya Tsuyoshii, Hououji Fuu, come and see me later." The Principal said. He was thoroughly tired after having to deal with the student and the teacher's romantic affairs, he did not expect the two top genius of the school pulling a fuss over things. Fuu pulled at Tsuyoshii's sleeve, indicating that he translate her sign language for her. Tsuyoshii nodded and began as Fuu's hands started working.
"If this is the school's matter then the students should have a vote over it." Fuu's words were said through Tsuyoshii's mouth.
"That is exactly the point I want to make." Tsuyoshii said to Fuu while Fuu only smiled.
"This is none of the students' business, they only have to study hard and achieve good grades." The principal said in a red face.
"Why am I and Fuu-san studying here then?" Tsuyoshii asked. "What people meant by geniuses are seldom people who need to study day and night, to be honest, Fuu-san and I seldom study. Fuu-san, give me your schedule of a normal day." Tsuyoshii requested. Fuu only blushed as she handed him a piece of paper, she understood what Tsuyoshii pulled her into this, just to make his point.
"Wow, only one hour of work that involved school, half an hour was to mark Ferio's homework and the other half was to finish yours." Tsuyoshii said conversationally to Fuu, but the audience was the whole of the assembly.
"So, please tell us why are we in school?" Tsuyoshii challenged the principal directly.
This person is too cocky, can anyone teach him a lesson? Fuu thought.
As the principal was speechless at the moment, Tsuyoshii carried on "We are here to learn about the society and human relationships as well. Sara- sensei is a very good teacher, we all feel that she is a friend instead of a teacher, I know many girls who go to her when they have relationship problems with their boyfriends. Ferio-kun is well… um… dirt in the school, we know the dark side of the society through him. Because they are such good resources, I consider that kicking them out of the school will be the school's greatest lost, don't you agree, Fuu-san?" Tsuyoshii said to Fuu, in that same conversational tone through the microphone. Fuu glared a bit, but nodded. What else could she do if Tsuyoshii has to say something like that?
"I said…" the principal started, but was cut off by Innova. "Sorry to interrupt, but…" cheers rang out when Innova stepped up to the stage, Innova was very appealing to both genders, and again, he proved it.
"Hello to you all, I am Emeraude-san, president of the PTA (Parent Teacher Association)'s spokesman. We decided that let the students vote as well would be interesting and would be right as they paid the school fees." Innova said softly.
"Who wants Sara-sansei and Ferio-kun to stay, raise up their hands!" Tsuyoshii called. There were cheers were thunderous and a shot up of hands.
"So the students want them to stay." Tsuyoshii said to the principal with a triumphant smile on his flawless porcelain face.
"We will take care of this…" the principal said softly as he hurried down stage before any one of the two brilliant students on stage will have anything spring up on their devious brains. The school was scandalized enough, he did not need more reports about his school.
Ferio was walking home with Fuu that night, neither one of them said anything to each other until they reach the park. "Fuu…" Ferio began as he pulled her back to face him. Fuu looked at him questioningly.
"What I said on stage was true, I am serious about Sara." He said and he can not read her expression as her back was to the setting sun. Fuu nodded as her hand tightened around his.
"I vowed to protect her with my life when we were praying in the church in silent night's eve." He continued and Fuu nodded again as he pulled her closer to him gently.
//I know.// Her hands said, her form was glowing warm and golden in the setting sun.
//From the way you ran into the fight with Masa for her, I noticed that much.// Fuu's hands said.
"And in that fight, I noticed something else as well." Ferio said softly as he wrapped his arms around her gently. It was not the passionate embrace he had with Sara, but a much softer one, however, just as loving, maybe even more.
Fuu pushed away from him, much to his surprise and walked away towards the road that they have to cross. Fuu did not seem to be walking very fast, but she was well ahead of him and crossed the road already, leaving him behind.
"FUU!" he screamed, ignoring the staring crowds. As if in respond to the plea in his voice, Fuu turned to him, her eyes wide, her pretty face expressionless, like a porcelain doll's.
"Ore wa Fuu ga itsumo daisuki!" He screamed across the street while doing sign language as well.
However, a truck just has to pass at the right time, at the right place and so his voice was drowned and Fuu just could not see his hands.
He drooped his head when she crossed the road to him. "Fuu… I…" he began when she smiled and extended her hand to him.
"Go home?" her lips, said silently. He smiled and nodded, much better than standing there to be stared at, and her gentle smile was all he wanted for now.
Fuu knew that he has just been confessing to her when the truck passed, yet she was not going to give anything away until he is going to do it again. She was walking a little a head of him when a ray of light stabbed into her. She bit her lip and thought frantically I still have two weeks to go… this should not happen so fast. Before the thought end, she collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
Ferio's eyes widened and gently lifted Fuu into his arms. "Fuu…" he shook her gently "Fuu…" he called more urgently as he pulled his own coat off to wrap around her ice cold body. A picture flashed through his mind, Fuu has been taking her coat off to wrap around him when Masa charged at him. Then… then what? He can not remember, as if a ward was set up to stop him from remembering that night's events.
"Fuu…" he started again as he lifted her up. Another picture flashed in his mind, Fuu was putting his head on her lap gently that night as well. Aside from her eyes, everything was white in his vision, she was as white and as pure as the snow falling from the sky…
His blood dyed the shimmering white snow into crimson…
Fuu's hands were cold and trembling…
Her hands were melting like snow over him
Melting…
Melting…
Snow…
Shimmering…
White…
Feathers…
Feathers?
Ferio can remember feathers, feathers as white as the snow, they were both shimmering and white, so purely white it was. Wings… huge, powerful and gentle at the same time, cold gentle hands lifting him from the blood soaked snow. He clutched his head as the ward in his head shattered and every picture went back to him. Fuu was holding him, he felt that he was drifting in the wind in her cold but gentle embrace as she flew above the city to the hospital.
Something warm rolled down his cheeks, warm tears…
Warm…
Gentle…
Powerful…
Hot…
Flame…
"You used your life to save me, did you?" he asked softly as he closed the door to his apartment.
"Why?" he asked as he held her closer as he set her down on the couch. Her form glowed, her lips parted in a silent scream and he watched in awe as soft white-feathered wings bloomed outwards from her back. Without the 'flame of life' Fuu could not even maintain her human form. "Omae wa tenshi…ore no tenshi da…(You are an angel…my angel…)" his lips said softly as he brushed her now-golden hair away from her face.
School was no longer in peace after Ferio's incident as his and Sara's affairs were all over school. Almost all people whom Ferio can call friends cast him out, the girls were even worst to Sara-sansei as cruel pranks and jokes were played on her.
"Fuu-san." Shin called when Fuu walked into the classroom and almost all classmates were discussing about Ferio and Sara's affairs and were waiting to hear something from her point of view. Fuu just sighed and shook her head as she allowed Shin and Tsuyoshii to lead her out of the classroom to the roof.
//How did that leak out?// Fuu's hands asked them.
"Well, the police were informed that there was a fight near Sara-sansei's apartment. The police found that Ferio-kun went to hospital because of a stab in his lungs. Masa, Sansei's Ex was laying on the floor and after he woken up, the only thing the police can get from his was that Sara-sansei belongs to him and so Ferio-kun should die. The policemen marched right into the school to see Sara-sansei and that thing just leaked out." Shin said with anxiety in his voice.
Tsuyoshii just said coldly "Fools, narrow minded idiots… what was so fascinating in some news like that? Things like that happens everyday." Tsuyoshii just pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked down the building and everything beneath him in contempt. Fuu just looked up at the sky helplessly and leaned on the fence.
"Everyone loves Sansei before this…" Shin murmured sadly as Tsuyoshii wordlessly put his arm around the shorter boy. Fuu glanced at them then turned away.
Ferio was sitting alone in an empty field, he was ready to burst any minute. He did not care what others were doing to him, but he would not forgive anyone who dares try anything on Sara.
"I swore my life to protect you. But what have I done?" he asked himself bitterly as he buried his head in his arms. Fuu sat down beside him on the grass silently and he did not notice her until five minutes later. Fuu did not mean to interrupt. However, she was alarmed when she saw his shoulders trembling. She sat nearer, put her arms around his trembling form, then held his head to her shoulder as she stroked his hair and back gently and motherly. Ferio bit his lip as he cried on Fuu's shoulder, he knew he can not hear him physically, but he knew that she felt his emotions.
"Fuu…" he whispered in her ear, she leaned closer as if she heard what he said. He pushed back gently and asked, his mouth moving slowly, to let her understand every word he said.
"Is it wrong to love two women at once? What I mean is, I do not want to own them, but I want to protect them, if that was the least I could do." He explained as Fuu dried his tears with her handkerchief.
//Have you consider the consequences of everything?// Fuu asked in sign language and he shook his head.
"Your intentions were good, but you just can not achieve it without a lot of thought. Love takes a lot of thought. There is a lot of planning on how you can make the other person happy. You wanted to protected 2 people at once and that made things even more difficult for you.// Fuu told him rationally, her eyes steady.
"What do you want to say now?" he asked bitterly.
//Think of a way to get Sara-sansei out of this mess as you are part of the problem. Try to use your brain and not your heart some times.// She told him soberly with her hands.
He glared at her angrily then said softly "Why? Why do you have to be like everyone else?" his eyes changed from angry to hurt. Fuu's eyes softened as she reached her hand out to touch him, but before she made any contact with him, she hesitated, then took her hand back and turned away. Ferio stared at Fuu's retreating and bit his lip as he closed his eyes.
//Fuu-san, Sara-sansei wanted to see you.// Tsuyoshii informed Fuu after school and Fuu nodded solemnly.
"Anything on your mind?" Tsuyoshii asked, using sign language.
//If things has to be done, you have to do it yourself, Ferio has to understand this. I guess Ferio must still live under my nose for some more time.// Fuu said in sign language.
//What is your relationship with Ferio really? You knew about Sansei and him all along?// Tsuyoshii asked. Fuu nodded then Tsuyoshii stated //Then you are awfully sacrificing, as Ferio was two hearts about you and her.//
Fuu shook her head then smiled and said with her hands //He is more determined about us that surprised me, he was almost dead stubborn about it.//
//He cares about you more or her more?// Tsuyoshii asked.
//You are being very nosy.// Fuu stated with a little smile.
Tsuyoshii frowned at what he heard in the staff room, all the teachers were hinting that Sara was a nymph or a prostitute and some were commenting on her openly. He glanced at Fuu, she seemed to know what is going on and marched into the office and pretended to be tripped by the cable of the computers and fell. As she fell she pushed every piece of paper off the nearby desk. All attention was on her then. She bowed her head deeply and appeared deceivingly meek when the teachers just glared at her and said nothing. Fuu did not only live under Ferio's shelter, but she is the girl genius that pushes the grades up to the top three secondary school in Japan, no one could afford to lose her. She went to Sara and asked in sign language
//You wished to see me, Sansei?// Sara glanced around the room. Even as Fuu rescued her from all the teachers's words this moment, she did not rescue her from all their gossip and they were all staring at her in contempt. She closed her eye briefly as she asked in sign language
//We can go outside to talk?// Fuu nodded with an understanding smile as she took Sara's hand. Sara was surprised by Fuu's action, no matter how gentle Fuu is, she will not be as sweet to a rival, or is it that Fuu never even see her as a rival?
Sara bowed her head as she passed her students who were casting the two of them weird glances. Yet, they did not seem to have any affect on Fuu when Sara was about to hide herself.
//Have you your wallet?// Fuu asked suddenly with her hand. Sara nodded and looked at the younger girl questioningly. Fuu smiled and led her to the bus station.
Innova was staring at his two guests, one of them was Ferio's girl friend and the other was Fuu. Innova was connecting with Fuu with their minds as he plastered a deceivingly pleasant smile on his face.
"It is entirely my pleasure to see you again, Sensei." He said as his mind said What are you two doing here? his tone rang out a little annoyed in Fuu's head.
Sara bowed deeply and said "Sorry that we are interrupting your work." Fuu's mind's respond was Your place seems the most appropriate of all. She was smiling at him innocently, ignoring his remark.
"Oh, not at all, not at all." Innova said with his mouth, but in his mind, he said I have a lot of work to do!
Like writing reports to avoid taxes and thinking of ways to swallow Microsoft? Fuu asked, her smiled was just as hard as Innova. Sara was deep in her own thoughts to not have noticed that their faces' muscles were turning into stone.
Innova was the one who relented when Fuu started talking about communism like an extreme red, but before he left the room, he cast a worried glance at Fuu. By losing her flame of life, Fuu loose a lot of coloring, her face was as pale as snow and her hair was more like silver than blond. "Why do you have to worry about another's problems when your own existence were at risk?" he asked as he closed the door as he sighed "maybe you ought to be turned into an arch angel now."
//What do you want to say to me about?// Fuu asked with her hands as she sat down on the couch before Sara.
"What is exactly your relationship with Ferio?" Sara asked as she felt shame welling up, she is a teacher and this is her student. What teacher will want to fight for a boy with a student? Through any angle, Fuu suited Ferio more than her.
//Guardian angel and boy.// Fuu answered truthfully.
"Nothing physically romantic?" Sara asked, she would have blushed even more if it was possible.
//Physically whereas?// Fuu asked innocently.
"I mean…sexually romantic…" Sara said softly.
//Does hugs count?// Fuu asked with her hands. Sara lowered her head, why is she talking about sex with a girl eight years younger than her?
Sara changed the subject and asked "Is it possible that you can live without him?" Fuu frowned a little then nodded
//I suppose so, and I must.// Her hands replied as Fuu had an unreadable look in her eyes.
"Why?" Sara asked, a little confused.
//My home is no longer here and I can not have one here, I left once and returned to finish up something I could not finish when I was here.// Fuu replied. Sara nodded and fell silent.
Fuu smiled gently and asked //You have problems that you think I can solve?// Sara looked at her and nodded.
"I really am not trying to ask you to sacrifice yourself for me, but…" she touched her belly gently as a tear slide down her cheek. Fuu smiled as she understood her little gesture.
"Ferio's child?" she asked with her hands as her smile was angelic. Sara nodded and said quietly "It should be his."
//He knows?// Fuu asked. Sara shook her head.
//Tell him, he would be delighted.// Fuu said with her hands. Sara sighed inwardly, as she knew immediately why Ferio just could not help himself from loving the younger girl. Fuu sees him in a totally different angle than anyone else, and they have a little world of their own that no one can go in.
"Will he think he or she is Masa's son?" Sara asked worriedly.
//Does that matter to him? Everything has ended after the fight he fought with Masa. You are released. Therefore, no matter who the father is, as long as you are the mother, Ferio is willing to be the father.// Fuu said with a smile.
"You think so?" Sara asked doubtfully. "I always seemed to think that he is just toying with me… and loved me because I resembled you in some way." Another tear slide down her cheek and Fuu looked confused. "I know, I met him first therefore he should love you because you resembles me, but I think I am just your shadow at times. You were the person whom he loved with all his heart." Sara said softly.
//You are as well.// Fuu noted with a smile when Sara's eyes widened.
//The problem now is to stop all those people from attacking you, is it?// Fuu asked after a while.
Sara just smiled a little and shook her head then said softly "I will quit the job, so you don't have to worry…"
Fuu blinked and asked //Have you done anything that is a shame to the school?// Sara's eyes widened again and murmured "Why… that rumor…"
//Is that about the school or about you two?// Fuu asked.
Sara closed her eyes softly and said "About us…"
//Then we have to tell them that it's none of their business.// Fuu smiled softly.
After Sara left, Fuu was sitting in Innova's office drinking tea. "I sometimes wonder whether you are born to be an angel and not a human." Innova muttered.
//Why?// Fuu asked.
"Being gentle and nice to everyone, even your rival and almost anyone aside from yourself." Innova said as he reached across the desk to touch her forehead. Both their forms glow, after the light died, some of Fuu's color came back to her. "With my help, I am sure you can last a little longer than one month if you will stop stressing over everything that is none of your business. But since you just will not stop worrying about others, your time shortens, I don't know whether you can live 2 weeks even with my help." Innova told her.
Fuu smiled //Thank you for your concern, but I think Ferio can save himself. I will not take the flame back before all his wounds are healed.//
Innova flushed a little and muttered "I'm just concerned about you wasting my energy."
Fuu just smiled and said //Hai, Honto ni gomenasai.//
Fuu went home to see Ferio lying on the couch, asleep. She went to him and saw all homework were set neatly, turned to the right page for her to mark. Beside the books, there was a tray of food on the table covered with a napkin, a little note was laid on top. She curiously picked the note up and read "I know I have been acting childish, you were the rational one and I should not have picked on you because of that. However…" she blinked at what the note "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING, COMING HOME AT THIS TIME OF THE NIGHT? TRYING TO PULL BOYS OUT OF THE BAR AGAIN?" It was written in bold and red outlined with black. She smiled as she folded the note up carefully and put it in her wallet as she went into his room to get him a blanket.
She wrapped the blanket around him motherly as he reached out to hold her hand. "Fuu…" he muttered in his sleep. Fuu read his lips and smiled a little before the next set of words came "Omae wa tenshi…janai ka? (Aren't you an angel?)"
Fuu frowned lightly, but smiled again Bingo. Anata no dake desu. (Your angel.)
She held his hand a little tighter, but found that she did not want to let go, as her flame of life was beckoning to her. She closed her eyes and let the life seep into her. Arigato, Ferio. She smiled as she realized that she did not need Innova to charge her up every time.
Both Ferio and Sara's state of life were not any better, yet they seemed to find some peace in both their hearts. Innova was persuading Ferio to sue Masa for attempted murder so Masa could be locked away, but because Ferio did not want the matter in school to worsen, he chose to let the matter drop. However, as he chose to drop the problem, the school did not, and demanded that Sara clear the matter up in assembly, in front of all the students, as well as the PTA.
Fuu, Shin and Tsuyoshii were standing in line in the hall, Ferio took a deep breath as he stared at the absolutely straight lines of students in front of him. "Fuu…" his mind called softly as he looked down at the front row of the students to see her, smiling at him in encouragement. "Yuuki wo dashite…" He muttered as the principal made his statement about all the rumors flowing around school as well as the scandals in newspapers. Sara looked at the students, she must say that she loved most of them and hate none of them as they have their own lovable ways. And it hurts her all the more to know that they started feeling contempt towards her when they knew about the affairs of herself and Ferio. She looked at Fuu Hououji, the girl genius of her class, she knew Fuu well, she thought. Fuu looked soft most of the time, but she might have all the inner strength that everyone lacked, she was steel under velvet. Then she looked at the representatives of Ferio's family, Emeraude and Innova. She has seen Innova and he strike her as someone who was much deeper than he appears to be, he has power unseen but felt wrapped around him all the time, he has an ageless and flawlessly pretty face. As for Emeraude, she was a fairy tale princess, the long sunlight golden hair that sparkled under lights, the bright eyes that changed from blue to green depending on her mood as well as the perfect features on her face. Both Innova and Emeraude were expressionless, Emeraude did not even look shocked nor humiliated when all the reporters crowded around her, a powerful woman, Sara decided. She must prove her point to all these people.
Emeraude watched everyone on the stage, the Principal of the school looked scandalized and torn apart because he does not know what to do with the two people. Ferio is her brother and she is one of the shareholders of the school therefore the School can do nothing about Ferio. However, what about Sara? Emeraude has always thought that her brother was more or less attracted to Fuu and here comes his teacher. She did not mind much about Sara or Ferio's relationship, however, she wanted to know how Ferio will handle it.
"I am very sorry for whatever trouble I have caused the school and the school has every right to fire me before the matter has worsened to this, therefore I am grateful." Sara said formally to the microphone. "I have always known that a romantic relationship between a teacher is immoral in a traditional sense. But I have been wondering, why is this so?" Sara asked through the microphone.
"Have I neglected my other students? Have I not been doing my job correctly?" she asked the audience. "I will apologize for any inconvenience my relationship caused the school. But I refuse to apologize for the relationship I have with Ferio as it is genuine. At least it is, in my point of view." Sara said softly. The whole hall was quiet and Fuu smiled softly.
"Gold digger…" One of the students yelled, then another voice chorused. Fuu looked around and frowned.
Looked as if she still has some problems to solve. She said as she watched Sara. Sara seemed totally unprepared for this and tears sprang to her eyes. Fuu closed her, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes and prayed silently. Ganbatte kudasai, Sara-sensei.??
As if answering Fuu's prayer, Sara opened her mouth after she wiped her eyes. "I…I am well aware of Ferio's family and noticed that he has an extremely wealthy family. However, I am not attracted to him at first because of the money." Sara said softly as she looked at Ferio. Ferio was looking at her, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I went to him because I thought he needed me." There was silence in the auditorium.
"The first time I felt that I have something for him was when he was in a bar, drinking alone, he was drunken and was crying over his family and a little friend. At that moment I decided I would do anything for him, even if it means going against any school rule. Later, I noticed that I needed him." She said softly.
"If none of you believe I could not do anything about it and if firing me would help, you think, fire me." She said softly, her head bowed.
Fuu looked around and everyone was silent, she took it as a good sign as she heaved a sigh of relieve. Ferio went to the stand and cleared his throat as he looked at her. She smiled encouragingly. Please, don't let him start his speech by a swear word. She prayed inwardly, she knew he is not in any danger, but if he said anything wrong, Sara is going to be fired, no doubt.
"Well, what the hell am I doing here?" that is how Ferio started his speech. He almost laughed to see that all Fuu, Tsuyoshii and Shin to slap their hands to their foreheads in defeat.
"You all are just pointing fingers at us to show that you people are moral, what can we say about that? If you people decided that blaming other people for something that is immoral by traditional standards and that could make you better people, by any means, do so." He said fiercely. Fuu arched an eye brow at what he was saying, she did not expect that from Ferio.
So maybe he is more understanding about human nature than what I thought… Innova and she thought simultaneously.
"I admit I was only curious and only treated everything I did to Sara as a game." Ferio dropped the 'sensei' once and for all. Emeraude smiled a little at herbrother, he already behaved a lot better than what she expected. The worst expected was to beat the principal in to mush then screamed swear words into the microphone until it reached its seventh harmonic to make everyone deaf. Of course it was Innova who put everything into words, yet she could only disagree verbally, deep inside she expected the same from her little brother. From her point of view, she could see that Fuu was visibly praying when Ferio went on stage, She would have done the same. Emeraude simply has to maintain her calm cool and regal appearance, if Zagato is the merchant Prince, she is the crown princess. Fretting over her brother and showing that she has no confidence in him is not how a crown princess behaves.
"Even if I treated everything as a game at first I realized I am a lot more serious about her than I thought and I have seldom been so serious in my life. The last thing I want to say is," he looked at Fuu, she was watching him with some interest, obviously, she was quite impressed by him.
"I am going to beat anyone into mush if they even dared to humiliate Sara." He said quietly, but even more menacing. He stepped off the stand, and in the corner of his eye, he saw that Fuu slapped her hand on her forehead again.
The assembly ended as their teacher and fellow student stunned everyone. The principal ended up saying that what to do with Sara and Ferio will be decided on a staff meeting. Surprisingly, it was Tsuyoshii, the class president as well as the president of the student body who raced up the stage, stopping the principal's retreat while pulling Fuu with him.
"If their fate is decided by the school, then I suggest that the students are supposed to take part." He said after a bow to the principal. Fuu looked at him as she wondered what she was doing up there.
"Pull those two down, Fujimiya Tsuyoshii, Hououji Fuu, come and see me later." The Principal said. He was thoroughly tired after having to deal with the student and the teacher's romantic affairs, he did not expect the two top genius of the school pulling a fuss over things. Fuu pulled at Tsuyoshii's sleeve, indicating that he translate her sign language for her. Tsuyoshii nodded and began as Fuu's hands started working.
"If this is the school's matter then the students should have a vote over it." Fuu's words were said through Tsuyoshii's mouth.
"That is exactly the point I want to make." Tsuyoshii said to Fuu while Fuu only smiled.
"This is none of the students' business, they only have to study hard and achieve good grades." The principal said in a red face.
"Why am I and Fuu-san studying here then?" Tsuyoshii asked. "What people meant by geniuses are seldom people who need to study day and night, to be honest, Fuu-san and I seldom study. Fuu-san, give me your schedule of a normal day." Tsuyoshii requested. Fuu only blushed as she handed him a piece of paper, she understood what Tsuyoshii pulled her into this, just to make his point.
"Wow, only one hour of work that involved school, half an hour was to mark Ferio's homework and the other half was to finish yours." Tsuyoshii said conversationally to Fuu, but the audience was the whole of the assembly.
"So, please tell us why are we in school?" Tsuyoshii challenged the principal directly.
This person is too cocky, can anyone teach him a lesson? Fuu thought.
As the principal was speechless at the moment, Tsuyoshii carried on "We are here to learn about the society and human relationships as well. Sara- sensei is a very good teacher, we all feel that she is a friend instead of a teacher, I know many girls who go to her when they have relationship problems with their boyfriends. Ferio-kun is well… um… dirt in the school, we know the dark side of the society through him. Because they are such good resources, I consider that kicking them out of the school will be the school's greatest lost, don't you agree, Fuu-san?" Tsuyoshii said to Fuu, in that same conversational tone through the microphone. Fuu glared a bit, but nodded. What else could she do if Tsuyoshii has to say something like that?
"I said…" the principal started, but was cut off by Innova. "Sorry to interrupt, but…" cheers rang out when Innova stepped up to the stage, Innova was very appealing to both genders, and again, he proved it.
"Hello to you all, I am Emeraude-san, president of the PTA (Parent Teacher Association)'s spokesman. We decided that let the students vote as well would be interesting and would be right as they paid the school fees." Innova said softly.
"Who wants Sara-sansei and Ferio-kun to stay, raise up their hands!" Tsuyoshii called. There were cheers were thunderous and a shot up of hands.
"So the students want them to stay." Tsuyoshii said to the principal with a triumphant smile on his flawless porcelain face.
"We will take care of this…" the principal said softly as he hurried down stage before any one of the two brilliant students on stage will have anything spring up on their devious brains. The school was scandalized enough, he did not need more reports about his school.
Ferio was walking home with Fuu that night, neither one of them said anything to each other until they reach the park. "Fuu…" Ferio began as he pulled her back to face him. Fuu looked at him questioningly.
"What I said on stage was true, I am serious about Sara." He said and he can not read her expression as her back was to the setting sun. Fuu nodded as her hand tightened around his.
"I vowed to protect her with my life when we were praying in the church in silent night's eve." He continued and Fuu nodded again as he pulled her closer to him gently.
//I know.// Her hands said, her form was glowing warm and golden in the setting sun.
//From the way you ran into the fight with Masa for her, I noticed that much.// Fuu's hands said.
"And in that fight, I noticed something else as well." Ferio said softly as he wrapped his arms around her gently. It was not the passionate embrace he had with Sara, but a much softer one, however, just as loving, maybe even more.
Fuu pushed away from him, much to his surprise and walked away towards the road that they have to cross. Fuu did not seem to be walking very fast, but she was well ahead of him and crossed the road already, leaving him behind.
"FUU!" he screamed, ignoring the staring crowds. As if in respond to the plea in his voice, Fuu turned to him, her eyes wide, her pretty face expressionless, like a porcelain doll's.
"Ore wa Fuu ga itsumo daisuki!" He screamed across the street while doing sign language as well.
However, a truck just has to pass at the right time, at the right place and so his voice was drowned and Fuu just could not see his hands.
He drooped his head when she crossed the road to him. "Fuu… I…" he began when she smiled and extended her hand to him.
"Go home?" her lips, said silently. He smiled and nodded, much better than standing there to be stared at, and her gentle smile was all he wanted for now.
Fuu knew that he has just been confessing to her when the truck passed, yet she was not going to give anything away until he is going to do it again. She was walking a little a head of him when a ray of light stabbed into her. She bit her lip and thought frantically I still have two weeks to go… this should not happen so fast. Before the thought end, she collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
Ferio's eyes widened and gently lifted Fuu into his arms. "Fuu…" he shook her gently "Fuu…" he called more urgently as he pulled his own coat off to wrap around her ice cold body. A picture flashed through his mind, Fuu has been taking her coat off to wrap around him when Masa charged at him. Then… then what? He can not remember, as if a ward was set up to stop him from remembering that night's events.
"Fuu…" he started again as he lifted her up. Another picture flashed in his mind, Fuu was putting his head on her lap gently that night as well. Aside from her eyes, everything was white in his vision, she was as white and as pure as the snow falling from the sky…
His blood dyed the shimmering white snow into crimson…
Fuu's hands were cold and trembling…
Her hands were melting like snow over him
Melting…
Melting…
Snow…
Shimmering…
White…
Feathers…
Feathers?
Ferio can remember feathers, feathers as white as the snow, they were both shimmering and white, so purely white it was. Wings… huge, powerful and gentle at the same time, cold gentle hands lifting him from the blood soaked snow. He clutched his head as the ward in his head shattered and every picture went back to him. Fuu was holding him, he felt that he was drifting in the wind in her cold but gentle embrace as she flew above the city to the hospital.
Something warm rolled down his cheeks, warm tears…
Warm…
Gentle…
Powerful…
Hot…
Flame…
"You used your life to save me, did you?" he asked softly as he closed the door to his apartment.
"Why?" he asked as he held her closer as he set her down on the couch. Her form glowed, her lips parted in a silent scream and he watched in awe as soft white-feathered wings bloomed outwards from her back. Without the 'flame of life' Fuu could not even maintain her human form. "Omae wa tenshi…ore no tenshi da…(You are an angel…my angel…)" his lips said softly as he brushed her now-golden hair away from her face.