Disclaimers: I don't own SD or the song "Diamond Dust", which is so sad …. *sigh*
NB: … Thoughts
(Numerals) Explanations in akane の teahouse
"…" character's speech
[…] Place and or time
Thanks for the reviews everyone, and glad to hear that you guys like the fic …so far… hehe :)
Tensaispira, *bow* thank you for liking my OC ^_^; Fiery-Chan, please be careful and don't fall off your chair, k? *wink*; sLL, no no no, the green eyed guy isn't Fujima, I don't have the heart to make Fujima such an evil person :P hehe…
Anyways… getting back to the fic, hope this chapter clear things up a tiny bit for you~ ^_^
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Chapter 3 – Puzzled Kitsune
[ToDai's Basketball Gym]
"Bang!" The ring reverberated at the force of the slam dunk.
Kaede wiped the perspiration off his forehead with his wrist band and walked to pick up a water bottle.
Others in the gym stared at the raven head in bewilderment.
"What's with him today?" Kiyota said stupefied.
"It's like he is venting out his frustration or anger or whatever he wants to get rid off on the poor ball." Hanagata added.
"Hmm…can it have something to do with the little lunchtime incident?" Sendoh said thoughtfully.
Hanagata glanced at the spiky head. "Maybe, but honestly, has anyone seen Rukawa so hyped up about something before? Let alone acting so brusquely."
"You're right there Toru, this is the first time I've seen emotions from him." Said Fujima as he joined the small group.
"Think this is the first time anyone has seen Rukawa with any form of emotion." Maki commented slowly. "In fact, I don't think he's even been so emotional before, not even in any of the games we'd played."
Everyone nodded, agreeing with what their captain said.
"All I know is that I found a stupefied kitsune outside the Faculty of Music just now, and he looked as if he'd seen a ghost." Hanamichi said in a peculiar tone.
"Huh?" Everyone gawked.
"Ano, what do you mean Sakuragi?" Maki asked dumbfounded.
Hanamichi recalled the situation. "His eyes were glazed over when I found him, and he didn't even notice my presence until I gave him a head butt, which woke him from his little trance."
Everyone sweat-dropped at the head butting part of his story.
"Then what?" Asked Morohoshi who'd just joined them.
"Well, the kitsune was wide eyed with shock at first then he mumbled something like it couldn't be and walked off."
"Err…K…in other words; no one knows what happened between Rukawa and Kazekan kyoujiyu then." Hanagata concluded.
Everyone shrugged in befuddlement.
"Anyways, let's get back to practice, we have game next week!" Maki hollered.
"Hai!" The players responded.
As all the players returned to renshuu, Hanamichi looked at Kaede puzzlingly. What's wrong, kitsune?
~*~*~*~*~ Flashback ~*~*~*~*~
"Where is that baka kitsune otoko? Doesn't he know that the lecture's gonna start in less than ten minutes?" Hanamichi grumbled as he looked for his raven haired teammate.
He stopped in his track as he walked pass the Faculty of Music and saw a lone, pale lanky figure standing under autumn sun. There's the baka kitsune! What's he doing? Sun baking? Baka!
Hanamichi stormed over to the Kaede and yelled. "Oi baka kitsune! We're gonna be late!"
Kaede didn't stir from the call.
Hanamichi fumed and he waved a hand in front of Kaede. "Teme kitsune, didn't you hear me?"
The raven head remained silent and distant. It was like he was there, and yet he wasn't.
Hanamichi frowned and waved his hands some more. Not getting the results he wanted, he resort to his most effective wake-up call – head butting. This sure broke Kaede from his spell.
"What was that for do'aho!?" Kaede held a hand to his forehead where he'd been head butted, azure eyes shining with white rage.
"Nyhahahaha! That was for ignoring the tensai! Nyhahahaha!" The red head pointed a finger at his teammate as he laughed his crazy laugh.
"Do'aho." Kaede spat and turned to walk away.
Hanamichi noticed his parting and followed. "Oi, chotto matte yo!" He called out and quickly followed.
When he reached Kaede's side, he teased. "You looked like you've been shocked by a ghost! Hehehe…"
Kaede stopped abruptly, and his face paled a shade or two. "What ghost?"
Hanamichi studied his teammate for a little then voiced his concern. "Oi, you sure you're ok, kitsune?"
"Daijoubu. I'm fine." Kaede avoided the red head's eyes and questions. "Err…we'd better get going, we're gonna be late right?"
"Yeah…"
Hanamichi stalled for a while observing the retreating back of his teammate and friend. Something must have happened to make kitsune so jumpy now, but what?
When he heard the chimes of the clock tower (1) he brushed the thought aside. Oh hell! We're gonna be late, and Shige kyoujiyu is gonna kill us!
The red head ran to catch up with his blue eyed teammate and hurried the latter to get to class.
~*~*~*~*~ End of Flashback ~*~*~*~*~
After ending his trail of thoughts, Hanamichi strolled over to Kaede and sat down next to him.
"Hey, wanna talk about what happened just now?"
Kaede took a glance at his friend and muttered, "There's nothing to talk about."
"Teme Kaede, I know something's wrong k? I can sense it; in fact you're radiating with the words 'something is bugging me!'" Hanamichi paused then continue, "Fess up, maybe we can help."
An almost unnoticeable smile curved Kaede's lips ever so slightly. It was only at tight situations such as this where Hanamichi will call him with his first name. He was grateful to have a friend like Hanamichi who was loud and definitely annoying at times, no, make that almost constantly; but at times like these, he was also a sensitive and caring soul. A string of thoughts flew by and he remembered the days when they used to treat each other as archenemies and the countless bickering they have had during high school. Each and every one of those moments was special, and they were the foundation of their solid friendship. He treasured them dearly.
"Don't worry Hanamichi, I'm fine, honestly." Kaede spoke emotionlessly, but his eyes gave away his thanks to his friend.
"No! You're not alright! There is something bothering you, I know it. Why can't you tell me so that I can help you with it? Am I not your best friend?" Hanamichi pressed, frowning. Other Mito Yohei who had been his best friend since forever, Kaede was his other best friend, on and or off court.
"Hanamichi, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that…" Kaede paused and looked at his friend with a confusing gaze. "It's just that I don't know where to start or how to tell you this. Especially since I myself don't know what is the meaning of all these, and why are these things happening to me."
"Try me." The red head said firmly, with the flames of determination flashing in his honey brown eyes. Flames that is almost as bright as his red hair.
Kaede sighed. He knew he would not have peace until he told his insistent friend. But, how was he supposed to tell his friend about the radical dreams he had been having, and the incident at lunch? He'd never believe a single bit word of it.
As the kitsune tried to conjure the best method to tell the red head about what had happened to him lately in a logical way, their captain came over.
"Ahem! Sorry for breaking up your cozy conversation, but we do have a game to play next week and we have renshuu to get through with. So, do you guys mind showing a little participation?" An irked Maki spoke.
"Sorry…" Hanamichi mumbled and scooted back to join his teammates in practice.
Phew~ save by the old man! Kaede thought silently. He nodded to Maki as a gesture of apology and moved to join his teammates.
Maki sighed a mushroom breath. What have I done to deserve such weirdoes as teammates!?
Shaking his head in hopelessness, Maki went back to the matter at hand, i.e. practice hard for the oncoming game between ToDai and Chiba University.
o o o o o
[ToDai's Main Library]
After renshuu, Kaede found his feet carrying him into the library. He had just gone through the electronic catalogue and found himself a very long list of books regarding reincarnations, and links between past and present lives. He went to the sections designated for unconventional sciences and mythological literature. After a little searching, he found the five books that matched his search criteria most and took them off their respective shelves and sat down with the books at an inconspicuous corner.
As he read the different documentations and experiences of encounters with past lives, he sweat dropped. What he had been through in the last month, which was after the commencement of the dreams, were nothing like what the books said.
If what I went through weren't anything to do with my past and present lives, then what are all these then? The books said that these people knew who they were and what they did in their past lives, and their features and life now resembled that of their previous one. But… what about me? All I get are flashes of a guy who I think was me playing a flute to that girl, woman. So what is the meaning of what I'm experiencing now?
He thought about the dreams and the flashes of memories, if they could be considered as memories passed, and only two things connected. It was the name Sei and Hiyuki. He knew that the voices he kept hearing were meant for him, even though they kept saying the name Sei. Also, Hiyuki was the girl that he could only see as a silhouette in his dreams and that girl who the flautist played Diamond Dust for.
Then, it suddenly struck him as he remembered what Hiyuki had said earlier. "Maybe you and I knew each other in our past lives."
That was a statement and not a question. I'm sure of it. But if that is so, does it mean that she and I are somehow connected telepathically or something?
"Oi, didn't know you're a superstitious person, kitsune." Hanamichi grinned as he tapped Kaede's shoulders unexpectedly.
Kaede jumped at the surprise interruption and glared at the offender. "Do'aho, don't do that."
Hanamichi's grin widened. It's not everyday you get to scare the wits out of the kitsune.
The red head sat down next to Kaede and flipped a few pages of one of the books. "Why the sudden interest in this sort of crap?"
Kaede sighed. "Why are you always so nosy?"
"Because you're my friend and friends help each other out at times of need. And now, I sensed that you're at a time of need, and that's why I'm here, to help you out with your problems." Hanamichi smiled warmly at the ice block.
"You're not gonna leave me alone until I tell you, are you?"
"Bingo!" He grinned widely. "So, are you gonna tell or are you gonna tell?"
Sighing once more, Kaede poured out whatever was bothering him to the red head.
Hanamichi began to frown as he listened, and his frown grew tighter by the minute as Kaede continued with his tale.
"You mean she vanished physically? In front of your eyes?" Asked the flabbergasted red head.
Kaede nodded. "Exactly. I've been rationing with myself that it's impossible for that to happen. Not even the best illusionists can do that without some trickery. But that's what happened and that's what I witnessed."
Hanamichi opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He closed his mouth and thought for a while. "You sure that's what you saw? I mean, are you sure that your eyes weren't playing tricks on you? When was the last time you had your eyes checked?"
Hearing this, the kitsune like eyes hardened. "You don't believe me." Kaede said coldly.
The red head quickly held up his hands in repudiation trying to cool his friend's anger. "That's not what I meant. I was only trying to look at the situation from a more scientific angle."
"Hn." Kaede snorted.
"Hey, you don't really me expect to believe something that sounded like it was from a fantasy story book straight off right?" Hanamichi said forlornly.
Sighing for the nth time that day, Kaede relented. "You're right, I'm sorry for being rude just now."
"Hey, don't sweat it. We'll figure out what all these are about sooner or later." Hanamichi nudged the raven head friendlily.
Kaede smiled vaguely. "I hope so too."
"OK, since that's settled, let's go grab something to eat. I'm starving!" Hanamichi beamed.
Kaede rolled his eyes. "You're always hungry aho."
"Teme, who are you calling an aho, kitsune?"
"Hn… do'aho." Kaede said as he got up and walked away with Hanamichi following behind.
A shadow hidden behind the bookshelf where the pair of basketballers had formerly sat walked into the light. She took one of the books from the table and flipped through it. A smile formed on her face and her purple eyes gleamed playfully.
"Well, looks like she's definitely got his attention." Etsu smiled amusingly. "I wonder, how is she going to bring back the boy's lost memories…"
Etsu put the book back onto the table. She turned and vanished into the air like Hiyuki did earlier in that day.
o o o o o
[Kose Manor, outskirts of Tokyo]
"Master Fukurou, Tachiha-san is here to see you." Sanwa Hajime bowed respectfully at the man standing next to the fireplace.
The man, Fukurou, did not answer his secretary immediately. Instead, he played with the glass of wine he was holding. He watched the wine swirled in the glass then turned his head to face Sanwa.
"Show him in please, Sanwa." His voice the words gracefully like an aristocrat.
"Yes master." Sanwa bowed again before he took his leave.
A male dressed in nothing but white entered the study shortly. He was all white. Not only his cloths were white, but his hair and eyebrows were silver, and his skin was fairer than ivory. He disregarded the presence of the owner and flopped himself onto the sofa lazily. He smiled at him cynically. Even though the smile softened his handsome features, the figure in white looked angelic yet devilish at the same time.
"Is that the polite way to greet your persire (2), my dear Tachiha Kon?" He smiled, pleased with his 'offspring'.
Tachiha laughed cynically. "Maa maa, surely you don't expect me to be 'polite' or 'courteous' after all these years now do you, Kose-san?"
Kose Fukurou laughed blithely. "Yes, the devil is not suited for politeness. Hahaha…"
Tachiha sneered. "So you've found her at last."
Raising an eyebrow at Tachiha's statement, Kose's obsidian gems gleamed deviously. "How can you be so sure?"
"You've been looking for her for what, the past four, five centuries? And you've never look so happy before, so I'd say that you've found your prey." Tachiha said with a shrug.
"Ah yes… my prey, my one and only interest. More importantly, my one and only love." Kose's chiseled features softened as he spoke the last words.
Tachiha rolled his eyes at his persire. He could never stand any form of mushiness, and especially since it's coming from Kose, it was the worst.
"So, what are your plans then?"
"I will make her mine again." Kose took a sip of the wine and smiled tenderly. But his dark green eyes soon frosted over with hatred. "And I will make sure that he will not have her. I did not allow it a millennium ago and I will not allow him to have her now. Never!"
Kose crushed the glass he was holding and the wine seeped through his fist. The mixture of wind and blood fell to the floor slowly.
Tachiha grinned at the view. "Interesting. Demo, how are you going to do that, my dear father? You said it yourself that she did not love you in the previous lifetime, so what make you think that you'll gain her love in this lifetime?"
Kose snarled at Tachiha. "Do not provoke me, boy!"
"I'm merely stating the facts." Tachiha was in no way intimidated by Kose's superior existence to his.
Kose clenched his fists. He hissed through gritted teeth, "She will love me this time. She will not escape from me again!"
"Yare yare." Tachiha rolled his eyes in disgust.
Kose turned and stepped closer to the fireplace. He half knelt and watched the flames danced as they engulfed the pieces of wood. The flames reminded him of the painful death he endured in his previous lifetime.
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akane の teahouse
First thing first…explanations:
(1) Clock tower – I'm assuming that there's one in ToDai, since there's one in my uni :x
(2) Persire – the maker of another immortal, a word I made up :P hehehe…
So… how was it? Has some of the fog been lifted after reading this chapter? *grins* =^.^= I promise that things will get clearer in the next chapter ^_~ Reviews plzzzzzzzzz~~~ ^o^ *points to the review at the bottom left hand corner or at akane44@lycos.com* thank you~~~ ^o^
Byeee for now~
Meow~ =^.^=