Unmei no Kodomo

Destiny's Child

By Nami

Opening Notes:

Here's the second half of chapter 2! Thank you, minna, for your suggestions. I hope that this is a satisfactory continuation.

:::Chapter 2 (part 2):::

Practice ended later than usual that afternoon. Ken walked Tsukiko back to her apartment before making his way home.

"Do you think we'll be ready for the competition?" Tsukiko asked as they made their way to her place.

"I think that some of us will." Ken answered honestly. "Youji-san and yourself are our best chances, I think."

"And you?"

"I don't compete in the same class as you guys, remember?"

"But me and Youji aren't in the same class, either. I'm better than him." Tsukiko pointed out casually.

"That's very true." Ken agreed. There was a stretch of silence.

"Ken-san," Tsukiko glanced at him and readjusted her backpack, "What were those guys talking about this afternoon?"

"Huh?"

"You know, Hikou and those archery guys. What were they talking about?" Tsukiko pressed.

"Just some crazy rumors." Ken said dismissively. "Nothing, really."

"Oh? You didn't react as though it were nothing." Ken sighed as it became clear that Tsukiko wasn't going to drop the subject. "And why did they say you were my boyfriend?"

"Apparently," Ken began, "Word got out that I stayed at your place last night. Now some of the guys think we're sleeping together."

"Oh, that!" Ken face faulted. "The girls were talking about it. They were asking me all sorts of embarrassing questions. I told them that it wasn't true, though. I told them that you did spend the night, but that you stayed on the couch and it was only because we studied so late. After a few tries, they all got it."

"How did the school find out?!" Ken nearly exploded. They had reached Tsukiko's building and she entered. Ken followed, listening intently to her explanation of how things happened.

"Well," Tsukiko began as she pushed her front door open, "you know the little boy who cleans up at the dojo, right?" Ken nodded. "He saw you come over here and told his older sister."

"So she told everyone?"

"No. She's in middle school. She told her boyfriend though, and he told his brother, who told his girlfriend. And she told her cousin, who told her younger sister, who told her friend, who told her brother."

"A-And?" Ken stared, wide-eyed.

"And his name is Hikou Akira." Ken face faulted again.

"My god, in this huge city…" he muttered.

"Yeah, amazing, isn't it? You want a drink?" Ken blinked and shook his head.

"No thanks. I should get home."

"Okay." Tsukiko smiled brightly. "See you!" Ken nodded and waved as he left the apartment.

He made his way home slowly, not allowing himself to contemplate what Tsukiko had relayed to him. What a headache. He sighed and turned the last corner onto his street.

"Aren't you a little late?" Ken whirled at the familiar voice. "School ended, what, three hours ago?"

"Shuhei!" Ken cried as the taller boy stepped into the circle of the street lamp. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here now. So, what took you so long?"

"I was walking a friend home."

"And this 'friend' lives three hours away?"

"Kendo practice, Shuhei." Ken began walking again. Shuhei kept pace beside him. "When did you move to Tokyo?"

"Uhm…" Shuhei did a few mental calculations. "Four hours ago." Ken blinked.

"You're folks are here?"

"Nope. I'm on my own. So, it's getting pretty close to dinner time, huh?"

"Yes, Shuhei." Ken deadpanned. "And yes, you can come over."

::::

"Mom!" Ken called as he kicked off his shoes. "Dad! I'm home!"

"Hello!"

"And I brought a stray!" Ken's voice turned sarcastic. There was no response.

"Is anyone home?" Shuhei asked, following Ken into the entryway.

"They should be." Ken said softly, frowning. "Mom, Dad!" There was no answer. "Emi! Sara!" Ken turned his steps to the stairs. "I'm going to check upstairs, Shuhei. You look around down here, okay?"

They didn't have to search for long, however, before Shuhei made a startling discovery in the hall closet. His cry of alarm brought Ken running.

"What the—"

" 'Niichan!" Emi and Sara were crammed into the bottom of the closet, tied hand and foot. Shuhei stood back as Ken hastily untied his sisters and pulled them out of the closet.

"What happened? Where's Mom and Dad?"

Sara's bottom lip began to tremble and tears filled Emi's eyes, but the older girl answered. "Some men came right after Papa got home and took him and Mama. They told me to give you this." She handed him a business card that had been shoved in the waistband of her school uniform. Ken recognised the crest in the corner and snatched the card away from his sister with a snarl.

"Emi, take Sara up stairs. I want you to both pack whatever clothes you'll need for a week and grab your sleeping bags and pillows. We're going someplace else." Emi nodded gravely and took the sniffling Sara upstairs.

"Shu, do you have a phone on you? Thanks." Ken dialled Tsukiko's number and waited for her to pick up the phone.

"^Tsukiko here!^" the cheerful voice picked up a moment later.

"Tsukiko-san, I need a favour."

"^Ken-san? What is it?^"

A few minutes later, Ken hung up the phone. His sisters were on the stairs, both carrying school bags and overnight sacks and dragging sleeping bags and pillows. Ken walked over and took the sleeping bags as Shuhei took the pillows.

"Ken, what's up? What was on that card?" Shuhei asked softly as they made their way down the street.

"It was The Dragon."

:::End Chapter 2, part 2:::

Nami's Notes

Ooh! Cliff-hanger! So… The end of chapter two! What'd you think? I'm sorry that it took so long to update. Really, I'm very sorry. But, it's up now! ^____________^;;

So… What do /you/ think the Dragon is…?