DISCLAIMER:  I do not own MKR or any of its characters.  CLAMP does.  This plot is a product of my imagination.  Any similarities to other fan fictions are unintentional.

FUU'S STORY

By bishounen lovah

Chapter 3

"Mail call!"

Fuu's head automatically came up from the book she was reading when she heard their psych professor's booming voice.  It had always been this chaotic ever since their experimental profiling had started.  No wonder the guy was popular in campus.  He didn't act so stuffy like the other teachers and his projects were always interesting since they require as much hands-on as research.  It was more work but at least it was fun.  Each student sat down and squirmed in their seats in excitement as they waited for Tokuoka-sensei to call their names.

He had his record book open and was referring to the list of names and their corresponding pseudonyms.  The letters were sealed inside uniform white envelopes with the pseudonyms of the receivers written on the outside.  Once he called out the real name of the receiver, that person would go up front, retrieve the letter from the envelope then signs it as proof that he or she received it.  Tokuoka-sensei kept the envelopes in order to keep track on who had been dutifully sending and receiving mails.

Fuu had to admit that she was as excited as her classmates although her primness did not allow her excitement to show.  She kept on telling herself that it was because it was a very interesting project but deep down she knew that it wasn't her only reason.  She was anxious to hear from him.

Alma Perdida…Lost Soul.

When she first read his pseudonym her heart stopped beating for a moment and made her gasp under her breath.  She knew instantly that this person was someone she could relate to.  Someone who could understand what she was going through.  At that moment, the regrets that plagued her at giving such a personal code name for herself vanished.  Some problems she could solve on her own, some she needed her best friends and family, but there were things that could only be told to a complete stranger.  They lacked the bias that family and friends had while at the same time gave logical opinions needed to clear the mind even for a brief period of time.

That was what drove her to use such pseudonym…Iyashi no Kaze.  Her own attempt to heal herself of the pain of loving and losing.

She almost bolted out of her seat when her name was called.  She nodded her thanks to Tokuoka-sensei, signed the envelop then walked back to her seat.  This was his second letter, the first one received two weeks ago.  Letters were sent in alternate weeks.  This Monday, Fuu's class received the letters then will give a reply by Friday.  Next week it will be the other class' turn to receive and send.

There was nothing much in his first letter.  Just random nonsensical things.  But from that letter she gathered a lot of things about him by reading in between the lines.  She knew that he was a guy because he said something about his big sister always pinching him by the ear.  Big sisters always do that to little brothers.  Kuu certainly had never pinched her on the ear.  Of course she never gave her a reason to do such a thing.  He also said something about missing his parents but was glad that he got to be on his own.  That told her that his family was close knit and that he was a caring son.  Plus there was that obvious fact that he was not living with them anymore.  Either he was not from Tokyo or that he just moved into his own apartment.

Even with just his handwriting she could tell some things.  The strokes of his pen were rough and barely legible.  This told her that he was an impatient man.  A man who would rather talk than write.  But his sentence construction and choice of words show that he was a highly educated man.  Just by his pseudonym she could tell that he was either well-read or well-traveled.  She knew that the words were Spanish.

Her reply letter was like his.  Mostly about her family and friends.  A bit about her likes and dislikes.  She didn't answer his question on why her name was such though.  Instead she threw the question back at him and asked why his name was such.  She wasn't being secretive.  She just didn't know how to explain it without sounding like a nutcase.

Looking around the room, she saw her classmates either grin like idiots or grimace in boredom.  Their professor was writing some things in his record book.  The whole fifty minute period was allotted for this project which left them free to take down notes for their profiling or write their replies.  She took a deep breath before unfolding the green paper.

¡Hola!  ¿Cómo esta usted?

So it's Monday again ne?  Usually I hate Mondays but ever since this project started, I'd been looking forward to it.  It may sound weird but I got all excited last week when I got your reply.  You sounded like someone I could relate to.  Not many people are serious about their studies.  Usually they just come to class for the attendance and finish the subject with a passing mark.  But not me.  I like studying but I'm not a genius or anything.  I just try to do my best and make my family proud.

So what course are you taking?  What are your subjects for this semester?  I took odd bits of everything but it's not because I'm a late enrollee.  I got Psych101 because I wanted to understand people, then there's Communication for speaking skills.  General Astronomy since I've always been fascinated with stars, Social Science because, well, my father's sort of in politics, and Math mainly because it's required.  And there's Phys Ed.  I got the last slot for outdoor survival.  That's a cool class.  I can't wait for the hiking trip.  For some reason I love the wilderness even though I've never ventured out of cities before.

The letter went on and Fuu's lips tweaked higher and higher.  It sounded like this man was a fun, sociable person.  She was right when she guessed that he was not from Tokyo.  It said so in the letter that his parents worked in Spain and had moved here in Japan to learn about his heritage and watch over his newly wed sister.  He didn't trust his brother-in-law that much, said that the guy was too obsessed with his sister.  There were mentions about the people he met here on campus and the differences between Spanish and Japanese girls.  She guessed he was some kind of ladies' man from the way he described them as though an expert on the subject.

But the positive far outweighed the negative.  Time and time again he would go back about his sister and her husband.  Even through his protectiveness, he could admit that he'd never seen his sister so happy.  He said that perhaps it wasn't the protective instinct that made him a bit resentful of their relationship.  Perhaps it was jealousy.  He was jealous of what they have…of what he could have but at the same time, couldn't have.

It's quite unfair how you threw my question back at me but since I deem myself a gentleman, I will let it go.  Though I'd expect you to answer the question next time.

Have you ever felt like a part of you was missing?  Like there's an insistent nagging at the back of your mind and heart?  And that you'd never truly feel happiness unless you find that missing part?

That's the first thing I feel whenever I wake up and the same thing that keeps me awake at night.  That's why I called myself "Alma Perdida" because I feel like a part of my soul is lost and that's why I feel so incomplete.

Tell me, have you ever felt that way?  Can you tell me how to get rid of that feeling?  Or am I just going insane?

Perhaps that's the case but every time I see my sister with her husband, the ache always comes back.  Sometimes it even tears my guts to shreds.  And it's gotten worse when my brother-in-law's brother started looking sickeningly smug because of his new girlfriend.  Maybe that's it.  Maybe I should get myself into a serious relationship.  But then none of the girls I've dated here and in Spain could give me what I want.

None of them could give me my soul back.

Heh!  Sorry about that!  I guess I'm getting too dramatic for you, eh?  You must be thinking, "How corny can he get".  Yeah, well, I've never told anyone about this and I'd appreciate it if you keep mum about it.  It could ruin my image.  There's something about the anonymity of this project that makes me feel safe to open up to you.  But there's still that chance that you'd know who I really am.  I don't mind if you'd know.  I trust you.  Don't ask me why.

Now it's your turn.  Why did you call yourself Iyashi no Kaze?  Do you think it's possible that Destiny brought us together so your wind could heal me?

It took a lot of effort from Fuu in order to keep her face bland.  But if anyone could see behind her new glasses, he or she would have seen the turmoil in her green eyes.  His words were so close to home.  Oh, she knew that feeling all too well.  After all, that emptiness had been plaguing her day in, day out for the last five years.  But unlike him, she knew what this was all about.

He was right though about losing part of his soul for he was unconsciously craving for his soul mate.  In fact, he was quite lucky because he would be able to find his soul mate sooner or later.  Whereas for her…well, it was quite impossible since her soul mate lived in a faraway land that was nonexistent to all earthlings except for her and her two best friends.  His case wasn't hopeless, hers was.

But was it really?  Was Fate so cruel that he'd punish her to an eternity of loneliness?  Perhaps but should she just go on as is?  Should she just mope around and keep on feeling sorry for herself?  Maybe she should just tear a leaf from Alma Perdida's book.  He never gave up despite the pain.  He was still trying to live his life the best way he could and he never gave up searching even though he didn't know who or what he was looking for.

Perhaps it was time to get over Ferio and time to look for someone else.  She knew that nobody could replace her one and only love but it was time to stop punishing herself.

It was funny how a stranger could show her the light no matter how much her eyes hurt from the brightness.  All she needed to do was take a step closer to the light.  The question is how?

"Daijoubu, Fuu-san?"

Fuu's head automatically lifted and looked at the girl beside her, an enquiring smile already pasted on her lips.  Sayuri was one of the select few that she could call a friend.  They've been together since high school and were fortunate enough to remain close even now in college (though not as close as Hikaru and Umi were to her).

"Nani, Sayuri-san?"

"You look so serious there.  Your pen pal's that boring huh?"

"No, actually he's quite…interesting," Fuu said as she bowed her head again to tuck the folded letter in her book.  The curly strands of hair curtained her face and blocked her soft smile from view.

"Interesting?  Any idea who he is?"  Sayuri moved her chair closer to Fuu's.

"I don't think he's anyone I know.  All I gathered is that he's new here in Tokyo and that he came from Spain."

"New…Spain…"  Fuu watched her friend's face scrunch up as though in deep thought and wasn't surprised when she suddenly yelled in triumph.  "OMG!  I think I know who he is!"

"Shush.  Keep it down, Sayuri-san.  Tokuoka-sensei's looking suspiciously at us."

"It's got to be him," Sayuri whispered excitedly at Fuu.  "He's the newest and currently the hottest bishounen on campus.  And he lived in Spain all of his life.  That's a common knowledge in the grapevine.  Surely you've heard of him?"

"Er, no.  You know I'm not into those kinds of things."  Fuu had to sweatdrop at her friend's starry eyes and flushed face.

"No matter.  Boy, talk about luck.  I'd do anything to have a hunk like him write me letters.  Say, do you wanna see him?"

"I don't know Sayuri-san.  Isn't that against the rules?  Sensei might get angry."

"He's not going to know.  Besides, you're not going to talk to him.  You're just going to look at him.  That won't compromise your profile much.  Well, are you interested?  Their psych class isn't until two."

Common sense told her that she shouldn't.  That even by knowing what he looked like, her profile would be affected.  But curiosity got the better of her.  After all, didn't she say that she was turning over a new leaf?

"All right," Fuu had on a stern face.  "But we'll just look.  I won't talk with him and neither would you."

"Me?  Why can't I talk to him?"

"Because if you do talk to him, you'd just keep on blabbing about it and my term paper may get affected."

"Okay, fine.  So I'd meet you at the steps before two?"

"I have a lab before that but maybe I could get out earlier."

"Sugoi!  You won't regret it, I promise.  His name is…"

"No.  Don't tell me.  His face will be enough.  The lesser I know about him, the better.  Besides if his name is common in the campus rumor mill then chances are I might hear more things about him.  His face will be enough to quench my curiosity."

"Okay, if you say so.  If you change your mind don't hesitate to ask me."

"I won't, Fuu briefly smiled at her friend before taking out her notebook to write down some notes on her profile.  At the back of her mind was a shadowy outline of a man's face.  It looked like Ferio but knew that it was not.  Perhaps it was the guilt of having decided to move on with her life.  That was why she was imagining the face to be his.  But by the end of the day she would see the clearer version of the face.

She was about to take that one step towards the light.  By the end of today, she would know who Alma Perdida was.

TBC…

BISHLOV NOTES:

[1] Sorry for the slow update and the lameness of this chapter.  I think I'm running out of creative juices.

[2] I had already edited Perdido Alma to Alma Perdida.  Thanks to those who corrected me.

[3] '¡Hola!  ¿Cómo esta usted?' means 'Hello!  How are you?'

[4] Thanks for all of the lovely reviews, minna-san.  Rest assured that I'm trying my best to make this story as sappy as I can.