Disclaimers: I don't own SD or the song "Diamond Dust", which is so sad …. *sigh*
NB: … Thoughts
(Numeral) Explanations in akane の teahouse
"…" character's speech
[…] Place and or time
Bolded words = mysterious character (so far)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2 – Slowly Remembering
[Fuu Kyo (1), Suburban Tokyo]
"You've been looking at that scrap book for the last two hours, Hiyuki." Etsu walked into the sunken lounge holding a vase of lilies.
Hiyuki looked up; a flash of pain crossed her silver eyes. "My heart ache for him, he's been sad for too long."
Tears of blood trickled down her face. Etsu sighed and handed her a box of tissue.
"You've watched him for centuries, from one lifetime to another, and you've never let him see you before. So, why now? Why do you let him know of your existence now?" Etsu enquired.
Hiyuki took a piece of tissue and wipe her tears. "Because I can no longer stand seeing him punishing himself subconsciously. His heart and soul had suffered enough, it's time for him to let go of the past."
"Ano… what do you mean?"
"He was once a vibrant soul, but ever since my fading, he closed himself to the world. He encircled himself with ice and distant himself from everyone, not letting anyone to get close to him, and the situation had turned for the worse over the years. If I don't help him now, he'll never return to his old self."
"But he isn't the person he was a thousand years ago, well, almost a millennium ago." Etsu said incredulously. "Besides, being in contact with him again will get you nowhere either. You'll never be able to be with him."
Hiyuki lowered her eyes. "I know I can never be with him, even though I love him eternally." She then lifted her head, eyes filled with scarlet. "But I still have to help him; I want to break his shell for him so that he can live again, truly live again."
Etsu sighed hopelessly. "Nothing can change your mind is there?"
Hiyuki nodded firmly. "I will do everything within my power to help him, until then I will not leave him."
"How about after you've achieve what you want? Do you really think you can leave him then?"
"I will. I have to."
"Don't you think you will push him into another dead-end by leaving him then?"
"By that time, he will know what I am and he will not want to be near me at all." Hiyuki replied with a sad smile.
"OK, do what you want and I will not interfere. But promise me this; you will not get yourself hurt during the process." Etsu said solemnly holding Hiyuki's hands.
Hiyuki nodded and smiled a thankful smile. "Arigatou Etsu."
"Yeah…whatever…"
A current of air blew into the sunken lounge and flipped the pages of the scrap book. Paintings and photos of different males moved to the rhythm of the wind. One resembled the other by having a pair of cold, blue kitsune-like eyes.
o o o o o
[ToDai's Cafeteria]
"Oi kitsune, how do you know that new professor?" Hanamichi asked as he sat down with his tray of food.
"…"
"Well, if Rukawa doesn't know her, then how come she knows his name?" Sendoh said as he sat down at the table.
"…"
"Baka smiley!" Hanamichi hit Sendoh's head. "Let me ask you this, who in Japan haven't seen us on TV?"
Sendoh avoiding Hanamichi's attack desperately. "Watch the head aka ozaru!"
"Dare aka ozaru?" Hanamichi glared at Sendoh, and was prepared to jump at him anytime depending on his answer.
"Do'ahos." The kitsune spoke at last. Hanamichi and Sendoh turned to glare at Kaede.
"Hey, what's the fuss about?" Kogure asked as he approached the table with Akagi and Mitsui, and saved the day as usual.
"We're trying to figure out what's his relationship with Professor Kazekan." Sendoh said as he took a bite of his club sandwich.
"Aa!" Kogure comprehended.
"So you guys figured anything yet?" Mitsui asked while he took a sip of his drink.
"Unfortunately nothing yet." Sendoh grumbled.
Kaede rolled his eyes at his current and former teammates. "Do'ahos."
"Teme kitsune! Who are you calling an idiot!?" Hanamichi balled his fists at the raven head.
"Isn't it obvious? Who ever responded to my statement is it." Kaede smirked wickedly.
"Teme! Baka kitsune otoko!" Hanamichi began to roll up his sleeves and readied himself for a good fight.
"Are you guys fighting again?" Said a somber voice.
They looked up and saw Maki walking over to join them, with Kiyota.
"Hn." Kaede snorted.
"Aa...iie, we're not fighting." Pulling his most innocent face, Hanamichi went over to Kaede and put his right arm around Kaede's shoulders to show their captain how well they get along. "We're not fighting are we kitsune?"
"Get your hands off me do'aho."
Kaede pushed Hanamichi's hands away and continued with his lunch, ignoring the fuming red head.
Maki sighed at the two. They can be such good partners on court but off court, it is hell let loose.
Kogure coughed to ease the tension a
little. "So… where were we just now?"
"Rukawa and kirei professor's relationship." Mitsui grinned cheekily.
"Hey guys." Fujima joined them with his tray of lunch. "You won't believe what I just went through."
"How was the lecture, Fujima?" Maki asked the seemingly exhausted Fujima.
"It's the best lecture I've been to, but it was also the most horrendous brain wracking session I've ever been through. I'm so exhausted now, mentally that is." Fujima yelped. "And, here are the notes. Give them back to me as soon as possible, because I really need to digest the whole thing."
Fujima grabbed the notes from the previous lecture and passed them to Maki.
"Maki-san, you weren't at your lecture just now?" The good natured Megane-kun asked.
Flipping through Fujima's notepad, Maki nodded. "Yeah, I was at the basketball committee meeting just now."
"Sou…" Kogure nodded.
"Goodness! She went through all that in the lecture?" Maki asked in astonishment.
Fujima nodded. "She sure is one heck of a lecturer. Everything was explained in the simplest fashion, every single concept can be understood effortlessly."
"I can see what you mean." Maki closed the notepad. "I'll give this back to you tomorrow."
"Sure."
"Fujima, would that lecture you just had happen be Professor Kazekan's?" Akagi asked curiously since his next lecture will be that of the new professor.
"Hai. And I guarantee you'll enjoy her lectures." Fujima complimented.
"I see." Akagi nodding in respond.
"Kazekan kyoujiyu (2)!" A voice amidst the lunching students.
All heads from the basketball team's table rose to the voice and swung their heads in search of the said name. Finally, they found the said person by the main entrance of the cafeteria with her assistant.
Hiyuki smiled at the student who called out her name, and nodded in acknowledgement. She then continued her way to the counter with Etsu and placed their lunch order. After paying for their lunches, the pair went over to the empty table next to the windows. Immediately, students and university staffs, males predominantly, swamped their table. The rowdiness made Hiyuki uneasy and irritated Etsu badly.
Watching the scene before his eyes, Kaede frowned. What the heck do they think they're doing? Do'ahos!
As he saw a male university staff sat down next to Hiyuki, his frown tightened. What does that tonsaki (3) think he's doing?
Enraged by the scene, Kaede got up from his seat and stormed over to Hiyuki's table.
"Get away from her aho." Kaede said coldly to the guy sitting next to Hiyuki.
Hiyuki looked up and smiled at Kaede gently. The group surrounding her was dazed by her smile, Kaede included.
"Rukawa-san, konnichiwa." Her tone soft as the gentle spring breeze, eyes glistening under the radiance of the autumn sun.
Snapping out of his stupor, Kaede grabbed her arm and made her follow him as he stomped out of the refectory.
"Wow!" The basketballers gasped at their Ice Prince's unexpected act.
"Sugoi… didn't know he had that in him." Sendoh grinned in amazement.
"Yeah… never expected that from him." Hanamichi spoke incredulously.
The others remained wide eyed and nodded continuously, agreeing with Sendoh and Hanamichi.
Those who surrounded Hiyuki were first frozen by Kaede's icy glares then shocked by his brusque actions. They were rendered speechless and gaping at what had happened just a while ago.
On the other hand, Etsu smiled a knowing smile at the incident. And here it begin. Good luck Hiyuki…
But unknown to all, a pair of dark green eyes watched the event silently as a malicious smile curved the owner's the lips. The obsidian gems gleamed brightly as he tailed Kaede and Hiyuki stealthily.
o o o o o
[Small Lawn Area Outside ToDai's Music Faculty]
"Rukawa-san, can you release my arm please? I think my arm will begin to bruise if you insist on such a firm hold." Hiyuki said with her soft unhurried voice.
Kaede stopped and let go of her arm. She gently massaged the area where he'd seized earlier. He studied her from that angle while remaining aloof characteristically.
"Dochirasama (4)?" Sounded his low baritone.
Hiyuki looked up from her arm and looked into his cobalt blues. "Kazekan Hiyuki desu. I told you yesterday, did I not?"
He ran a hand through his raven tresses in frustration. "Iie! What I want to know is, who are you really? Why do I have this feeling that I know you?!"
She smiled innocently. "What do you mean Rukawa-san?"
"You are toying with me." He narrowed his kitsune-like eyes dangerously.
She stifled a laugh which sounded like ringing silver bells. "You are thinking too much, Rukawa-san. I do not toy with people."
"…"
"Maybe you and I knew each other in our past lives." Hiyuki made a statement that stunned Kaede.
But before he could react, a voice resonated through his mind. His eyes widened.
"Sei, do you not remember? …Do you not remember the long walks we had on the meadow? Do you not remember how you used to play the flute to me? Sei…"
As if on cue, a student who was practicing on the piano in the room which they stood outside of commenced the tune of Diamond Dust at that very moment. Inside Kaede's head, he felt something clicked and the picture of him playing the flute to that indistinguishable girl flashed across his eyes again. However, this time he saw the face of the girl, it was Hiyuki. He gasped and stared at her unbelievingly.
His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. All he managed was, "Kimi…"
"Seems like you have recovered a minute part of your lost memory, Kaede." Hiyuki smiled pleasantly, and turned to walk away. As if by magic, her retreating figure suddenly vanished in front of his very eyes.
Itsudaina (5)!? What the heck just happened!? At that instant, Kaede's mind was bombarded by millions of questions about what happened just now.
Meanwhile, under the shadow of a leafy tree stood a lanky male clad in black. His obsidian eyes witnessed the event that had just taken place.
"Maa maa, you have not changed a bit over the centuries my dear Hiyuki." He smiled tenderly at the silver eyed young woman. But when he moved his sight onto the young man, his eyes hardened. The dark green gems turned black with hatred. "And you my dear noble warrior, you did not have her then and you will certainly not have her now."
He turned to walk away frowning and the sculptured features of his face hardened. Like Hiyuki, he vanished out of sight like a puff of smoke.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
akane の teahouse…
OK… first, to clear up some Jap terms in this chapter for those who didn't know…
(1) Fuu Kyo ~ Wind Cottage, which is just the name of Hiyuki and Etsu's residence.
(2) Kyoujiyu ~ Professor
(3) Tonsaki ~ numbskull; dimwit; idiot
(4) Dochirasama ~ who are you?
(5) Itsudaina ~ what on earth?
Secondly… *bows* a big thank you to those who reviewed!! \\^o^// I'm so happy~ ^_^
Thirdly… What do you think of this chapter?? Liked it or hated it?? Reviews plsssssssssss~~~~~ ^_^ Doumo arigatou!! =^.^=
Lazy neko…signing out…for now~ :P =^.^=