Disclaimers: I don't own SD or the song "Diamond Dust", which is so sad …. *sigh*
NB: … Thoughts
"…" character's speech
[…] Place and or time
{…} Mental voice
(Numerals) Explanations in akane の teahouse ^_~
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Chapter 4 – Painful Memories
[Fuu Kyo]
Hiyuki sat on the swing made from the branches of the huge oak tree, holding a silver flute in her hands. She looked up into the velvety sky and smiled at the millions of diamanté decorating it. Slowly, she held the mouthpiece of the flute to her scarlet lips. The touching melody of Diamond Dust vibrated through the still night's air.
When the tune ended, Etsu stepped out from the house holding a cup of hot lemon tea. She handed the drink to Hiyuki who took it graciously.
"Arigatou Etsu." Hiyuki said softly.
Etsu sat down beside her, on the stool made of an old tree stump. "Douita shimashite."
"You've gone into his dreams again." Looking up into the sky, Etsu spoke gently.
"Hai." Hiyuki replied gently.
"Do you really think this can bring back his memories?"
"It is the only way I know how. And it is evident that he is remembering slowly."
"Guess so. But what next?"
Hiyuki sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I truly don't know…"
Her silver eyes glinted under the moonlight and she looked into distant spaces.
o o o o o
[ToDai's Basketball Gym]
It's been almost a week since he last saw Hiyuki. Although he kept hearing about her outstanding lecturing skills from his teammates, he hadn't seen her since that fateful day when she vanished in front of his eyes.
Lately, he no longer hears the voice calling out to Sei in his dreams. Instead, he had been hearing the haunting melody of Diamond Dust in his dreams and even when he was wide awake sometimes. The melody brought up intense emotions in his heart. They were heart wrenching. Each time the melody resonated in his mind, his heart began to ache badly. The heartache was sometimes so unbearable that he felt like screaming to let out his frustration, hoping that will ease the pain. The torturous feelings ware like losing someone he held extremely dearly to heart, a lost love…
It was the day of the match between ToDai and Chiba University. The gymnasium was packed with spectators from both campuses, and the Rukawa Shinetai was cheering their hearts out for their heartthrob hero.
Amidst the rowdy spectators, a pair of diamond like eyes scanned the area leisurely, a gentle smile curving the soft red lips of the owner. Next to her sat a fidgety purple eyed girl, who obviously found the situation discomforting.
"Honestly Hiyuki, do we have to attend this… this event?" Etsu growled in agony.
Hiyuki patted brown haired girl's shoulder. "Do you not find this interesting?"
"Not in a million years! I really don't understand why people like such noisy events these days." Etsu grumbled.
Hiyuki smiled at her friend's statement faintly. She herself never did like noisy places, but this time she made an exception to come to the game for him. She wanted to see him shine doing what he was best at, just like how she had watched his valiant sword fights back in the old days.
Players from both universities entered the stadium, and the crowd went wild with cheers. Etsu covered her ears with her hands and pouted. These people are crazy! She thought rolling her eyes.
After a gentle warm, the players returned to the benches and waited for the game to start. The announcer soon announced the starting players from both sides.
When Kaede stepped onto the court, the crowd cheered loudly. However, he felt someone gazing at him intensely. At that moment, all sounds were blocked out and he found himself falling into an empty void, one which only he and the onlooker existed. He scanned the spectator stands quickly and found a pair of silver eyes easily. His heart skipped a beat as his cobalt blues met her silver diamonds, and the heart wrenching feeling he felt when hearing Diamond Dust returned.
Her eyes are so sad. I wish I could take that sadness away for her… This sudden thought jumped into his mind. He quickly shook his head. Where did that come from?!
Hiyuki smiled at Kaede as if she had read his mind. Her smile told him that everything was fine and he need not worry. Then, a voice came into his mind which made his head shot up and looked at her in bewilderment. {Kaede, don't worry about me, I am not sad. Please concentrate on what you have to do now.}
Impossible! But… how? What? Kaede's kitsune eyes widened.
{Nothing is impossible Kaede, there are many things you do not understand about this world. But please, return to what you need to do now. Win the game for your team, win the game…for me.} She smiled at him comfortingly.
Before he could say more mentally, Hanamichi came over and slapped his back. "Oi, stop daydreaming kitsune! The game's starting soon."
Kaede took another look at Hiyuki, and was her smiling at him warmly. He smiled back and nodded to gesture his determination to win the game.
He joined his team for final instructions from their coach. After a group huddle, they walked toward the center of the court and readied to begin the battle.
The game was a one sided one with ToDai leading from beginning to end. But at the final minutes of the game, a Chiba player fouled Kaede forcefully, although unintentionally. Kaede lapsed into unconsciousness after the foul and had to be carried out of the gym on a stretcher. The spectators gasped in horror and nasty words were thrown at the Chiba player. The announcer called for the crowd to be calm, but his efforts were futile. The crowd finally calmed down when ToDai's team manageress, Ayako reentered the stadium announcing that Kaede was fine.
o o o o o
[ToDai's Sport Clinic]
Hiyuki's eyes filled with worry at the sight of Kaede being knocked down. She moved toward the university's sports clinic quickly, with Etsu following behind, and saw Ayako leaving the room in which Kaede was admitted.
"How is he?" Hiyuki asked Ayako in a worried voice.
"Atagi sensei said he has a minor concussion, but he'll be fine." Ayako told her the good news.
"Souka…" She heaved a small sigh of relieve. "I'll take a look at him. Thank you Ayako-san."
Ayako's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know my name, Kazekan kyoujiyu?"
Hiyuki smiled at her and said half teasingly. "Would you believe me if I told you that I read your mind?"
"Nani?" Ayako's eyes widened further.
Hiyuki let out a small laugh at Ayako's priceless expression. "I think you need to deliver the good news elsewhere to calm a large number of people."
Ayako snapped back to reality. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I've got to go, if Rukawa wakes up, tell him that we'll come by after the game."
The curly haired manageress dashed out of the clinic like a rocket, and Hiyuki smiled at her retreating back.
Etsu pushed the door of the room open. "He's still out cold, Hiyuki."
Hiyuki entered the room and walked over to the bed while Etsu closed the door behind her mistress.
A drop of blood-tear fell as he picked up his hand and held it to her face. The tear fell onto Kaede's pale hand. Red contrasted with white.
Kaede stirred slightly and moaned. "Dame…Hiyuki…don't leave me, don't…"
Scarlet tears welled her eyes upon hearing his words. She massaged his tight frown gently and whispered, "Relax Kaede, there is nothing to worry about. Shh…"
"No…Please don't go…You can't…You can't go with him…"
Hiyuki gasped at the words muttered by Kaede. "You are remembering, aren't you Sei?" She whispered
"Argh!" Kaede jolted back to consciousness and sat up panting heavily. He felt the coldness surrounding his right hand and turned to see her delicate face stained with scarlet.
His eyes widened in shock. "Hiyuki, are you hurt? Why are you bleeding?" He gasped and ran his free hand onto the face, smearing it with her tears.
Hiyuki let go of his hand and hurried to the door, but was held back by his firm grip.
"Don't go. Please. I don't want to lose you again." Kaede said with a pained voice.
He had remembered everything. He remembered how she went with that monster so that his life could be spared. Everything had came back to him, his locked memories were let lose when he was knocked unconscious by that basketballer from Chiba.
Hiyuki turned to face him, her vision blurred by the scarlet fluid. "I have to go. I can't stay. You know the reason."
Kaede pulled her toward him and embraced her tightly. "I don't care! I don't care who or what you are now! I just want to be with you! I can't lose you again!" He cried.
Hiyuki closed her eyes momentarily. Her tears fell onto Kaede's white jersey, discoloring it. His embrace had always been warm. She could remember the days when he'd just hold her for hours as they sat under the shadow of trees and watch the clouds above them. How she had yearned for his warmth over the centuries, but she knew she could not stay.
She pushed him away gently.
"I have been dead for almost a millennium, ever since the night I left with Funai Satoshi. I am not human." She spoke calmly. "You and I can never be. But please…don't punish yourself any longer, it wasn't your fault that I am what I am now. I did it willingly to save you then, and if given a second chance, I'd do the same again. So please don't blame yourself for what had happened so many years ago."
"Hiyuki…" His blue orbs moistening with tears of sorrow.
"Free your soul Kaede. Be that happy soul that I once knew again? Open your heart to the world again?" A small sad smile graced her lips. "One day you will find someone who is worthy of your love, and she will love you back greatly. But…that can never be me. So, let go of the past and live again. Truly live again, free of the nightmares and pains of the past."
She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "Sayonara Kaede." She vanished into thin air in front of his eyes once more.
"NO!!!!!! Hiyuki!!!!!!" Kaede cried heartbreakingly. He'd only just regained his memories…his heart…his ability to love once more…
=|=|=|=|= Kaede's Lost Memories =|=|=|=|=
[Nara and Heian Periods, autumn, Year 1009]
"What's your name?" He asked as he locked her silver eyes with his sapphire ones. Kami-sama! She's beautiful! No, beautiful is an understatement. She's gorgeous, the perfect creation of Kami-sama!
She tried to free herself from his firm grip but to no avail. "Please sir, let go of me?" She muttered shakily.
He helped her to her feet and continued holding her firmly. "What's your name?" He asked again in a softer, gentler voice.
"Ka…Kazekan Hi…Hiyuki." She said shakily. Why is he holding onto me so? Why won't he let go of me?
"Hiyuki…" He whispered her name, feeling it rolled off his tongue smoothly. "Tell me Hiyuki; are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"
"I…I need to go home…please let go of me?"
"You have urgent matters to attend to at your home?"
"Ha…hai…"
'Very well, I will escort you home then, Hiyuki." He said with a big smile.
Her eyes widened as if in shock. "De…demo…"
"No buts. Lest we go." He put his hands on her thin waist and lifted her onto his horse. He then mounted his horse and wrapped his arms around her. "Direction?"
"Nishi." Hiyuki was so shocked by the situation that she forgot the social teachings of females keeping a good distance from males.
"Yosh!" He maneuvered his horse and headed in the direction she provided, west.
The town's people were quite shocked by the event that had just taken place. The young warrior of the Chimura Clan had just taken Kazekan Hiyuki, a fallen nobility on his horse. What was the meaning of it all?
Hiyuki wiggled uncomfortably throughout the ride. Senses had returned and she realized that the situation she was in was a forbidden one. Kaa-san will be furious when she learns of this.
"You are a quiet one." Chimura Sei whispered into her ears. "By the way, ore wa Chimura Sei."
His warm breath tickled her, and she moved slightly to avoid it. The name Chimura Sei was well known to the people of Kyoto, he was the best warrior of the Chimura Clan, and a man whom every girl dreamed to be married to.
What does he want from me? She thought.
"Hello, anyone in there?" Sei knocked on her head playfully.
"Gomen." She broke out of her trance. "What do you want with me, sir?"
Sei rolled his eyes. "Oh please, spare me the formalities. I can't stand them. Ewe~"
Hiyuki lowered her eyes not knowing what or how to react. She was born into nobility, but the Kazekan Clan fell when she was at a young age. Although she was now a peasant girl, she was still taught the strict ways of nobility. Now, she did not know how to face this young warrior who was holding her in an embrace as they rode.
"You're not angry with me are you?" Sei asked in a serious tone.
She shook her head. "Iie…"
Before she could finish her sentence, they had neared her house and her mother saw them.
"Kazekan Hiyuki! You are a shame to the family! How can you be…be held by a man in such an intimate manner!?" Her mother, Ri exclaimed.
Hiyuki's face paled and fear welled in her diamond orbs. She tried to free herself from his hold desperately. However, he would not allow it.
"Please let go of me?" She pleaded as tears began to fall.
Sei shot an angry glance at Ri, but the former mistress of the Kazekan Clan was in no means intimidated. In fact, she shot Sei a scornful look.
"Please let go of my daughter, 'sir'." Ri sneered.
Sei ignored the anger in Ri's eyes. He carefully lifted Hiyuki and dismounted gracefully, with her in his arms. He put her on her feet and held her waist with a firm grip, not allowing her any chance to escape from him.
He turned to face Ri, and spoke with a solemn tone. "Madam, I hereby would like to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
Both daughter and mother gaped in bewilderment.
"What…what did you just say?" Ri stuttered, loosing her rigidity.
What is he talking about? Hiyuki's brain started to work overtime, and blushed furiously.
Sei smiled dashingly. "What you heard was not a joke, Madam. I fell in love with your daughter at first sight, and I am now asking for your permission to marry her."
"Are you insane, young man? Nobility cannot marry a commoner, let alone a peasant girl!" Ri said incredibly.
"My father is not a stubborn man, and nor is my mother. They do not worry about social differences; they are more interested in their sons' happiness." He replied coolly.
"But…" Ri continued, but was cut off by Sei.
"Madam, I will show to you that my love for your daughter is genuine. But please, permit me to marry your beautiful daughter." He bored into the silvery depths of Hiyuki's eyes as he finished the sentence.
He is not joking. Ri concluded as he watched Sei's actions. Every single movement he made radiated his honesty and love for her daughter. But, Hiyuki is only seventeen this year; she is not readied for marriage yet.
"Young man, I can see that you are serious, but my daughter is still young…"
"Then I shall wait until she is ready before we are to be wed." He put a stop to Ri's worries.
Hiyuki's face was now redder than a tomato. Kami-sama! Is this real? The man swooned over by the ladies of the court had just proposed to me. If this is a dream, I do not want to wake from it.
Taking Ri's silence as a yes, he planted a chaste kiss on Hiyuki's flawless forehead as a seal of his words.
"I will speak of the proposal to my parents tonight, and I shall return tomorrow for a visit." He said to Ri.
Before he took his leave, he turned to Hiyuki. "Wait for me, my love." He whispered a lover's murmur to her lovingly, making Hiyuki blush harder.
He laughed heartily at the sight she presented and mounted his horse. With a forceful pat on the horse, he rode away…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Nara and Heian Periods, spring, Year 1010]
The sakuras bloomed vibrantly under the spring skies. A pair of lovers held their hands tightly as they strolled in the open meadow. They stopped as she bent down to pick up a colored pebble. She showed him the pebble and smile gently.
"It's the same color as your eyes, Sei."
He smiled at her tenderly, and took her into his embrace. "The blueness of my eyes can never compete with your silvery diamonds."
He kissed her sweetly on the lips, his senses drowned by her sweet fragrance.
When he told of his proposal to his parents last autumn, he was met with disapproval at first. However, they overcame the disapprovals with the strong bonds they have through their love, and they were to be married during the mid-summer's festival after Hiyuki's eighteenth birthday.
Unknown to all, the owner of a pair of obsidian eyes had been watching Hiyuki's every move ever since she was a young child. The dark green eyes would sparkle ever so brightly when they saw her. When the owner of these eyes learned of her engagement to Sei, he went mad with envy and hatred. He leveled a small village on the far eastern boarder of Kyoto, but the killing spree did not calm him. He knew he had to have her if he was to calm his heart. He planned to strike any time now, watching, waiting for the chance.
It was early evening, and Sei had just sent Hiyuki home. He was less than a mile away when he heard her sharp cries for help. He raced back to her house to find her imprisoned in the arms of a stranger clad in black. The stranger smiled at him cynically. As the stranger's lips curled, fangs were seen pressing against his lips.
Sei gasped. "Kami-sama! What monster are you?"
The stranger laughed deviously. "Hahaha…Silly boy, you will not have her!"
The stranger vanished with Hiyuki in his arms while his words echoing in the small room.
"NO! Come back here bastard! Come back with her!" Sei screamed.
For days, Sei led his men in search for his fiancé. But lady luck seemed to have deserted him. Just when he was about to walk into an inn to drink himself senseless, he caught the rumors passed by the drinkers about a mysterious man in black, whom they'd seen lurking around in the forest at the northern regions of the city. Sei left upon hearing this and rushed to that part of the forest. That was a possible lead.
The moon didn't show her face that night, and the winds were too cold for spring. As he neared his destination, he saw the silhouette of a long abandoned castle. He dismounted and tied his horse's rein to a tree nearby, then proceeded toward the abandoned castle on foot.
When he gained entrance to the castle, he felt an eerie chill crept up his spine and shivered. Soft sounds of sobbing could be heard from one of the rooms. Following the sobs, he found Hiyuki seated in a chair, crying.
"Hiyuki!" He called out to his love and rushed toward her.
Hearing his voice, Hiyuki looked up and ran into his welcoming arms. "Sei." She cried in his embrace, feeling secure and warm.
Letting out a sigh of relieve, he tightened the hug. "I'm sorry for being so late."
She shook her head. "No, as long as you're here then I'll be fine."
He whispered words of comfort to her as he held her.
A cynically evil laugh echoed in the room suddenly, and Sei was torn away from Hiyuki by an unknown force then lifted above the ground and trusted against the hard wall. He moaned as the pain coursed through his body. Hiyuki ran to his side as fear marred her face.
"Sei, Sei, are you alright?"
"Hn…" Sei moaned. He stood up with the help of Hiyuki and saw a pair of devious dark green eyes, which were burning with hatred as they stared at him.
"Who are you?" He asked the owner of those sinister eyes.
"Funai Satoshi." He smiled, showing his fangs. "Someone you can never win against."
"Yarou! Hiretsukan (1)!" Sei shouted and lunged at Funai.
Funai dodged Sei's attack effortlessly. He grabbed Sei by the shoulder and gashed it with his long nails. The wound was so deep that his should blade was visible, and Sei dropped to the cold marble floor like a ragged doll.
"Yamete!" Hiyuki screamed fearfully at the sight. She ran to him and held him in her arms. Tears flowing from her eyes. "Sei…Sei…talk to me please …Sei…"
Sei moaned lowly. Opening his kitsune like eyes, he saw her tear stained face. He struggled to hold a hand to her face. "Don't cry. I'll be alright. I won't let you be harmed."
He tried to stand up but the pain was too excruciating for him to bear so he fell to the floor panting. Funai walked over leisurely and kicked Sei will full force at the stomach causing him to fly across the room and choked a mouthful of blood as his body banged against the wall. Blackness overcame Sei's senses as he sank deep into the darkness of unconsciousness.
"Sei!" Hiyuki ran to his side and sobbed while she held his hand.
Funai walked over to where Sei laid.
"You know it is not him that I want, don't you?" His dark green eyes bored into her silver ones, glinting evilly.
Tears filled her silvery orbs, dimming the diamond-like gems. "Yes…" Her trembling voice replied.
"Then you know what you should do?" He pressed, a smiled curving his lips.
She turned to look at her love one more time. Seeing him lying on the cold marble floor, so lifeless, so pale made her heart constrict. Tears fell as she closed her eyes. "Yes…" Her voice breaking as she answered.
"Good." His evil smile broadened. Lifting the cape of his coat, he covered himself and her with it, and they vanished into the dark, moonless night…
As the wind blew, a soft, sorrowful cry could be heard echoing in the crispy night air. "Sei…I will love you till the end of time…for eternity…"
=|=|=|=|= End of Kaede's Lost Memories =|=|=|=|=
o o o o o
[Medical School Admin, ToDai]
"Miss Kazekan, are you sure you do not want to extend the contract further? It will be such a great lost if you leave us now." The Dean of Medicine, Yamada Sho making last attempts to prevent Hiyuki from leaving.
Hiyuki smiled politely. "My contract has ended and I must return to my post in the UK. Surely Yamada sensei can understand that I have to uphold my obligations."
"Yes but, it will such a great lost. Can you not consider remaining with us? After all, you are Japanese yourself."
"Gomen ne, but I have to return to the UK. I am responsible for what I have started there, and my research group awaits my return." She said apologetically, declining Yamada's offer.
Yamada sighed. "Very well then. But I hope that you will return to visit us when you have the chance."
"I will." Hiyuki said and stood up to offer the dean a handshake.
"Take care then."
"Hai, arigatou."
Hiyuki left the dean's office and went into the black Mercedes waiting for her at the front gates of the university.
o o o o o
[ToDai's Basketball Gym]
"Rukawa's daydreaming again." Kiyota grumbled.
Maki, Fujima, Hanagata, Morohoshi and Hanamichi all sighed. It was something they could do nothing about. After that accident Kaede had on court during the match against Chiba, he'd been daydreaming frequently. But one peculiar turn of event was that the Ice Prince was no longer icy! He was friendly to almost everyone, and he'd started to smile even though his smiles were somewhat sad. So, the main question on everyone's mind was what made the Ice Prince changed his cold attitudes.
It's been two weeks since he saw her last. His heart ached to see her, yet he knew he shouldn't and she won't allow it. Remembering the past had made him realized how much he'd missed his happy and carefree side, but it also pained him greatly to know that she will never be by his side again. His attitudes toward everyone and everything had changed greatly over the past weeks, and with it he'd gained friends he never imagined possible before. He remembered her words exactly, about letting go of the past and start living for himself instead of wasting his life away like he did in previous lifetimes. But it was going a long and hard journey.
"Hey, do you know that Kazekan kyoujiyu is leaving soon?" Fujima said out of the blue.
"Yeah, I heard that her contract with ToDai's up." Maki added.
"That's so sad. I'm going to miss her lectures."
"Same here. Don't think we'll ever get another lecturer as good as her."
"True…"
This short conversation between Fujima and Maki caught Kaede's attention.
She's leaving? Where is she going?
Without warning, Kaede dashed out of the gym and shouting, "I just remembered I have something to do, sorry for not telling you earlier Maki sempai. Gomen."
Everyone sweat-dropped. Huh!?
I have to see her one last time, just once more…
Kaede changed quickly and ran out of campus just in time to caught the glimpse of Hiyuki getting into the black Mercedes. He hurried to his own car and started to chase after her.
Meanwhile, Hanamichi frowned at Kaede's diminishing figure. Something's wrong. It doesn't feel right!
"Old man, I'm going after kitsune. Something's a miss." Hanamichi said to Maki as he ran for the exit.
Fujima stopped him. "Wait Sakuragi! We'll go with you. I can sense that something's not right also."
The others nodded and they went out together. When they reached the main gates, they saw Kaede drove away in his car. The flagged down a couple of cabs and followed the raven head.
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akane の teahouse…
Explanation: (1) Hiretsukan – bastard
Ok, getting there… Anyways…how does this chapter feel? R&R pwease~~~ =^.^= 10Q!!! =^.^=