Title: Kojiki Trilogy II – A Love Story
A/N: I'm just so happy. . . . you guys gave such great reviews for my 'Come To Me' fic. . . bawls arigato! And here, like I promised, is the (sort of) prequel to 'Come To Me', telling the story of how Kyo and Taka got together. I hope this will be as good as 'CTM' in its own way or even better, ne?
Sakusha-san: Thank you for wanting to be my muse! My dried and pickled brain is ecstatic that there's somebody out there willing to bop me on the head to get the stories out! So why don't you give me your email address in your next review and let's make some beautiful lemo- I mean, stories together.
Rinny: Hey, I missed our screwed up chatting over the AOL. Curse my dorm room for not having any internet connections! To answer your question, yes, Taka and Kyo did get married before they died and I think, from what I can understand, a Shinigami CAN drown but will resuscitate himself should he be able to get out. I think, that if he stays under, he'll sort of be. . . .in temporary suspended animation. . . .waddaya think?
Rinoa Redcloak, graffiti, nekoMoon-chan, DeathAngelCreo, Literary Eagle, dragoneyes, Miss Misery, Ice-Phoenix, everyone: Thank you! Please enjoy this story, dedicated to all of my faithful reviewers! .
Warning: Fluff, Romanticism, Angst. . . hey, I did say that this was a love story! Not to worry, I'll throw in some grief later to spice things up!
Pairings: Kyo x Taka (naturally, though not yet), Kyo x Kenji, Kyo x Hikaru (wow, Kyo sure is popular. . . )
Disclaimer: This story, while not containing any original YnM characters, is still set in the YnM universe but all the OCs are entirely made up by me. Any similarities to whatever is not deliberate and YnM belongs to Matsushita Youko (I hate her. . . .kidding!).
Chapter One
The New Doctor
Morning sunlight streamed through the high windows, throwing beams of bright aisles between the rows of chairs as the students made their way in, laughing, giggling, chattering happily. It was just another day to them, filled with the usual activities of exchanging gossips and comparing the latest conquests.
Hikaru was already sitting in a chair, middle row and was nibbling thoughtfully on a pen. One of the shafts of light striked her hair, caught in a ponytail, and highlighted the deep brown tresses and a distracted glance brought sparkles of color to chocolate brown eyes. A little book, black in color and quite inconspicuous-looking lay open in her lap, filled with her neat scribbling and sometimes furious jotting.
Right now, Hikaru was a bit furious and more than distracted. She juggled the book on one leg while the other bounced up and down in a little staccato. A frown marred the smooth forehead and those eyes which could turn a too-brash boy into a stammering puddle were narrowed in thought.
This is hopeless, Hikaru thought to herself, a little glum now. She had been working so hard for months now and all she had to show for it was a book filled with notes and still no progress in the romance department. She wondered where she was going wrong. Perhaps the conditions she had set were too limiting. . . yes, that could be it. . . .
She opened the first page and scribbled down 'any gender acceptable'.
A shadow fell across the page and she looked up into deep blue eyes.
She smiled. "Ken-chan," she said by way of greeting.
The boy threw her a lazy smile in return and dropped into the empty seat next to her. Long legs were folded easily and a hand scratched the back of his head, mussing the dark hair a bit.
"So where's Kyo?" he asked.
"He's got an away match remember? For the inter-high soccer competition? He'll be back by third period."
Ken nodded, finally remembering and gave a nonchalant glance at the book much coveted by most of the student population in Josui High.
"You're making people die with curiosity, always writing in that book like that."
Hikaru sniffed disdainfully. "They're too nosy."
"Well, I don't exactly blame them. You've been running around for ages with that book and pen permanently attached to your hands. I'm just surprised nobody tried to steal it as yet."
She gave a careless shrug and studied the milling students around her carefully. A teacher got up to the microphone and ordered everyone to sit down. Today was assembly day, and Ken didn't even seem to be fazed or care about the fact that he was sitting in the girls' section. Giggling females surrounded him on all sides and several threw him admiring glances but he ignored them all.
Instead, he nudged Hikaru again, speaking softly as the principal started his usual Monday morning speech.
"You know, people are also saying that if anyone ever wants a chance with Kyo, they got to get into your book first."
"They got that part right," Hikaru smiled. She was about to say more when it really struck her then.
Ken.
Wasn't he good enough? While he wasn't as close as she and Kyo were, he was, nonetheless, a good friend, more than just a classmate and he is good looking. . . .he had something of the rebel reputation, but not that exactly. It's just that he did what he wanted but he was always easygoing and friendly to everyone. Plus, he was captain of the basketball team and he had good grades.
"So Ken," a gleam in her eyes and pen poised over a fresh page, she fixed a penetrating gaze at the suddenly wary boy. "Your favourite color is blue right? And you like to do extreme sports too right?"
"Why are you asking me this?" Ken asked, his own eyes narrowing.
Hikaru cheerfully ignored him and jotted down the affirmed information.
Name: Kenji Tsukino
Fav. color: blue
Fav. sports: anything exciting
Any further data-taking was interrupted when a strong hand closed over her busy pen and clamped down firmly.
"What on earth are you doing?"
"I'm trying to matchmake you with Kyo," was her straightforward and simple answer and it sent Ken into choking fits. She rubbed the poor boy's back and when he finally got over his surprise, he threw a glare at the expectantly-waiting girl.
"Hikki," he started, quite calmly. "Are you nuts? I'm a guy. So is Kyo. The last time I checked, I was still straight and so is Kyo for that matter."
She waved a hand airily, dismissing his reasoning and gave Ken a bright smile. "Love knows no boundaries, Ken-chan! If you two really like each other then go ahead! With all my blessings!"
A twitchmark had somehow appeared on the boy's forehead and he glared at the girl again. "Did what I say did not get through you at all?"
A similar glare was thrown back at him as Hikaru flipped her head back in defiance, ponytail swinging and she answered back, hissing beneath her breath. "After what happened the last time, does it really matter what sex a person is? If they hurt you, it's till the same. It's still painful."
That glare he had on faltered a bit and finally went down. He sighed. "You're talking about Nanako I take it."
"Damn right I am," she snapped.
Nanako Watase. Just the mention of that name was enough to send her into hissy fits even after all this time. Thank god she had moved to a new school, her father being relocated to a new office in another town. If she had to keep on seeing her day after day for the next two years, she was likely to do something painful to the $#.
Nanako was Kyo's ex-girlfriend. And how they broke up was not a pleasant experience. Break-ups never are but this was Kyo, her best friend, and the circumstances that brought about the break up was. . . .
Kyo and Nanako had gotten together in the middle of their sophomore year and Hikaru had been deliriously happy for them. Kyo deserved to have someone to care and love him and Nanako had seemed the perfect choice. She was a happy, outgoing girl, very friendly and the three of them had hit it off quite well, a fact that Hikaru knew made Kyo even happier. It was quite possible that Kyo would not have gotten with Nanako in the first place if the two girls couldn't get along. Looking back at it, Hikaru mourned that she could not have saved Kyo from the heartache.
It was Nanako's birthday that fateful day and Kyo had made romantic plans for the night, as he confided to Hikaru that evening. He had booked a table in one of the town's posh restaurants and afterwards, they were going for a stroll in the park, a place all set up with a blanket, a bottle of wine, some snacks and some candles all waiting for the couple underneath a secluded sakura tree. But, Kyo told her as they cut across the park, a shortcut to Nanako's home, he couldn't wait until dinner to give her the birthday present he bought and so, Hikaru kept him company as they made their way to her house after setting up the place beneath the sakura.
The sun had just set as they turned into Nanako's street, quiet in the evening breeze. The neighbourhood kids had gone in and warm lights flickered into life behind windows and curtains. Kyo had wanted to give the present privately though so they had crept into her driveway carefully and made their way to the side of the house, where Nanako's bedroom window was located.
They had just turned the corner when Kyo came to an abrupt halt, causing Hikaru to bump into his back and she gave a strangled yelp.
"Kyo! What-" the words died in her mouth as she peered around him. There was somebody already there. Two somebodies in fact. One of them was Nanako. The other was a guy.
And they were kissing.
But as Hikaru's yelp died, the passionate couple broke off their rather steamy embrace and the guy stepped back awkwardly, face flushing. Hikaru knew him. He was a senior, and not very well-liked. He was bully and never did got on well with Kyo in the first place.
Kyo's supposed girlfriend gave a gasp as she realized who it was that had found them and a hand flew to her mussed hair while the other fumbled for the strap of her dress that had fallen off one shoulder.
"Kyo! What are you- I mean, I thought the dinner was at 9 and-" Nanako was suitably flustered and she gave a pleading look at the silent Kyo.
The little hussy.
Hikaru gave a hiss and stepped forward, acid words just at the tip of her tongue when Kyo shot out a hand and stopped her. His face was expressionless but Hikaru knew him well enough so she swallowed her sharp retort and grudgingly retreated. Oh, she hoped that Kyo would really give that little fox a piece of his mind. Kyo would never hit her, Hikaru knew, but she certainly hoped that Kyo would give her an equivalent verbal trashing.
Instead, he silently closed the distance between them and despite Nanako flinching slightly when he reached out, all he did was tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Here," he had said, his voice soft. "It's your present. I couldn't wait till dinner so. . ." he held out a slim box, wrapped in white with a dark blue ribbon and the girl, with hesitant, trembling hands, reached out to take it.
"Kyo," she burst out, a touch of desperation in her words, "I didn't mean to! I told Tetsu that we had to end it so many times but it all just went crazy and I didn't mean to hurt you and this was supposed to be the last time ever and I-"
Kyo shook his head faintly and that frantic spouting of confession was turned off abruptly. He leaned close and placed a soft kiss at Nanako's brow.
"Happy birthday."
With that, he turned away and made his way out of the garden. Hikaru threw a last look of loathing at the girl responsible and hissed at the guilty boy still hiding in the shadows. "You just wait, Tetsu," she spat, ignoring the honorific 'sempai' and hurried out after Kyo.
He was walking quite sedately but he had already reached the end of the street as Hikaru caught up with him. She didn't know what to say so she kept quiet. But her heart was breaking inside for him all the same. They were in the park now and Kyo made his way over to the tree where he had planned their little hideaway. The blanket looked mockingly comfortable and inviting, the basket filled with goodies ironically promising a good time. He knelt down by the edge of the blanket and stared ahead unseeingly. By his side, Hikaru had knelt down too and her hand closed in shared sympathy over his.
Still silent, Kyo had sat down on the ground abruptly, drawing his knees to his chest and hugged himself tightly. Slim, small hands closed in a warm embrace over his body and Hikaru had laid her chin gently upon his head. Tears fell from her eyes to drop onto that silken black hair but still Kyo had kept silent.
He didn't even cry.
With a painful wrench, Hikaru drew herself back from the past best forgotten and threw another defiant glare at Ken, the only boy besides Kyo who could withstand such intense gaze for long. "Just because a couple is properly, sexually compatible, it doesn't guarantee future happiness."
Ken smiled. "You're right I guess."
Despite her annoyance, Hikaru could tell that his admission was genuine and that mollified her. She reached out to touch his shoulder briefly.
"You do like Kyo don't you?" she asked, an inquiring angle to her head. Around them, the majority of students were ignoring the principal as he finished his speech and moved on to some announcements. Beside her, meanwhile, Ken shifted in his seat and looked anywhere else but at her.
"What's not to like?" he shrugged. "He's a great guy. Nice, friendly, kind. . . a damn good soccer player. . ."
"And really handsome." Hikaru prompted.
He gave her a sidelong glance and blew a noisy sigh. "Yes, and really handsome. Happy?"
"So do you like him?" Hikaru asked again, insistent.
At first, Hikaru thought that Ken would never answer her but after a moment's silence, he gave another sigh and said, "Yes, I do like him. Really like him."
Hikaru brightened at this but Ken immediately raised a hand to forestall her. "It'll never happen," he said firmly.
As her face fell, he explained. "Yes, I do like Kyo. But not in that way. I may have at some point but in the end. . . ." he gave another shrug. "In the end, he'll always just be Kyo to me. Just a nice what-if."
"Ah, well. One could always try," Hikaru admitted.
After that, they had kept quiet for a while and slowly, the principal's words filtered through.
"As you all know," he was saying, his voice sounding rather nasal and high- pitched, "our school doctor, Nagase Sensei has been transferred to a new school. Now while. . ."
Hikaru quickly tuned out the rest of his words and turned to Ken excitedly. "Oh wow! A new doctor! What do you think? Will it be a woman or a guy?"
Ken nodded in the direction of the stage, at a rather shadowy corner where somebody in a white coat was waiting patiently. "A guy."
Hikaru tuned back to the principal just in time to hear the new sensei's name, Matsumada Takashi, and the sensei had stepped out of the shadows to the microphone. Long fingers grasped the mike and a smiling face peered out at them from underneath soft bangs of dark auburn hair and glasses.
"Ohayo gozaimasu Onamae wa Matsumada Takashi desu. Hajimemashite, minna- san." His voice was low and deep, sending shivers down the spines of nearly all the female (and several male) students of Josui High and the more excitable ones had squealed out.
The sensei was undoubtedly good looking and Hikaru broke into a wide smile. She had found a new target for her black book.
to be continued
A/N: Minna, how was it? You can't believe the urges I got to start throwing in some random monsters, demons, blood and magic into the story! I had to keep reminding myself that this is a simple love story and that I can't resurrect Akuma! Ohohoho! Sakusha-sama! Hurry! Stop me before I go off the deep end! .
As always, reviews (praises) are greatly welcomed and flames are not (I have a very delicate and fragile ego, you see). By the way, if any of you guys are fans of the manga FAKE by Matoh Sanami (a veeerryy nice yaoi manga . ), I've started a fic for it also. You can find it here on and also under the fanfics section. It's called 'The Chosen One' (note: at , my pen name is KitsuneKyo). I put it at mediaminer also because they don't have the NC-17 restriction that has. But not to worry, I won't be making separate versions for FF or mediaminer. I'll just be vewwy vewwy careful at what I post here on , ne? Ohohohoho! Ja ne!
