[A/N] Yah. Tadaima. You know the part where I said Sanzo's life is based loosely on mine? Yah, kinda. But then [thank GOD] the Assistant Head Prefect in my school is well…NOT Homura, she doesn't suck up to the so-called Gyokumen Koushu [not all of us do...] and she's, I'm happy to say, perfectly normal. And she sits beside me. So there. There is a plot, but for now...well, lets just say that I don't know how to get there. So...its random. I guess that's it...hope I didn't scare you away ^^;; Enjoy!

Of Perilous Attraction

#4 – Knowing Thyself

By Gokugurl

****

Raindrops come and raindrops fall,

Raindrops sing the saddest call.

****

It was raining.

Fourteen-year-old Hakkai leaned against the counter involuntarily, sighing as he felt the seconds tick by. He sat himself down in one of the wooden chairs, and rested his head on the back of his hands as he looked out of the glass window, hearing the little pitter-patter of raindrops that was the rain as the misty crystalline drops continued to fall. He glanced at the wooden grandfather clock in the library.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

The green-eyed boy sighed yet again, stretching his youthful arms even as he peered at his watch. And groaned as it read 11.35 AM. School wasn't going to start until 1 hour later, Hakkai mused, before leaning back against his chair again. In considerable boredom, the young brunette whipped out his faithful storybook, and proceeded to flip through the frail pages.

"Yo – Anyone there?"

Hakkai scrambled hastily to his feet; and nearly stumbled as he reached the counter, trying to act as dignified and as composed like the librarian he was. But then, Fate chose that rather unfortunate second to let him slip on the slippery tiles. He gasped, and his head would have connected rather...painfully with the hard ground, should the visitor not have caught him in his arms the very moment he had slipped. Hakkai, startled, balanced himself, and managed to stand. He brushed one dark strand behind his ear, took a deep breath, and looked uncomfortably into the visitor's eyes. 

His glasses fell off, and landed rather disgracefully on the floor with a single chink. And at that very moment, hazy, shocked pools of green locked with haunting, amused crimson orbs.

"A-ano..." Hakkai stuttered, yanking himself out of the stranger's grasp, before bending down to pick up his otherwise forsaken glasses, placing them back rather clumsily on his lovely face. After he had them back on, Hakkai found himself sighing in relief as everything around him swam back into focus in a whirl of blurry insignias, becoming clearer and clearer by the by.

Everything - including the dark youth before him. With his glasses on, the view of the lithe teenager was abruptly clear; and Hakkai wasn't sure if he was supposed to be grateful or unappreciative for that.

The mysterious stranger had tanned, dark skin of golden hue, a long lanky build, accompanied by lithe, strong muscles for one of fourteen; one broad chest, covered in naught but the long-sleeved white shirt that was the uniform, unbuttoned at the top – exposing the dark, seductive skin within. Long, lustrous strands of scarlet that were tied back into a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck.

And the mysterious, haunting orbs of dark crimson that were his eyes; the colour of blood, or dark roses. Rough, beautifully curved callous lips, lips that seemed to have had many an experience of kissing. [A/N: O.o HAKKAI!! XD] And then, just then, those lips parted, and he spoke.

"Oi, daijoubu ka?"

Hakkai blinked, once, twice, before finally registering what it was that the red-haired stranger was speaking to him.

And blushed.

"What? Oh, yes, yes...I'm perfectly all right. Um," he shifted uncomfortably. "Thank you for helping me. I...don't know what to say."

"Okay..." the redhead shifted, looking around the library. "I was supposed to be here to meet a friend of mine...do y'know him? He's a young boy of thirteen with russet hair and golden eyes...always hungry."

Golden eyes? Hakkai blinked again. "Um, could you be talking about Goku, by chance?"

The other snapped his fingers, and turned to around to look at Hakkai with a beaming smile. "Yeah, that's his name! Well, since he's not here...I guess I'll get going..." And he turned, moved as though he was about to make for the door; but not before Hakkai stopped him, clutching on his sleeve.

"Nanda?" He asked, that rich, husky voice sending delicious shivers up Hakkai's spine.

"Um...before you go, can I know your name?" Hakkai said shyly, blushing a little as he fought the urge to add Prince Charming at the end of his question.

"Gojyo. Sha Gojyo da."

"Boku wa Hakkai. Cho Hakkai."

****

Should I weep or should I cry

Naught will change for I am I.

****

"I didn't do it!"

He cried out for the nth time, only to be ignored by Koushu as she waved his excuses lazily aside. Her deep sapphire pools bore into his fearless dark ones; but it neither shook him nor quailed him – only fueled his anger so that he itched to slap the annoying bitch's face.

"You say you didn't do anything," she twirled a cerulean lock around her finger as one would with a silken thread. "Where's your proof?" her eyes locked upon his dark ones. "Genjo Sanzo?" She smiled, a slow, lazy smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. "Not only did you beat up Homura Taishi-kun - " Sanzo choked, "But you are now attempting to deny it, no?"

And as she leaned closer to him, dragging the limp, pathetic excuse for a kimono along with her, Sanzo felt a wave of excruciating nausea sweep over him, fast and furious, as Koushu's sickening perfume wafted involuntarily over to him, tickling his youthful face. She was so close, so very close, that the young child of fourteen could actually feel that disgusting aroma at the very back of his throat.

Even as he scrunched up his nose, the perfume refused to leave, traveling lazily around his being as Koushu held up his chin with one perfectly manicured hand, exposing the brilliant, hauntingly perplexing amethyst orbs that were his eyes.

"You do look good for a child of fourteen," she murmured, and trailed one manicured hand down his shivering, pale cheek, her bloody murder-red lips curving into a smirk. "Don't you?" Koushu whispered seductively, her lips hovering dangerously close to his own, her hand trailing over the silken fabric that was his shirt.

She bit his earlobe, and he cringed as he tried to inch away from her, but to no avail. The sniveling bitch must have had put something into the tea that he had drank but moments ago, that he was certain. Well, whatever it was, it was making him sleepy. And dizzy.

Damn her.

And everything went black.

****

If one was destined not to cry,

Then, grace behold, all is a lie.

****

Sanzo woke up in cold sweat, gasping involuntarily even as he clutched desperately at the silken comforters of his bed. Taking deep breaths, he looked out of the window into the night sky.

Yume ka...

Damnit, he cursed quietly in his heart. That bitch had tried to touch him last year, to...do things that Sanzo really didn't want to name. But whatever it was, the golden-haired boy knew that it was apt to be especially disgusting.

Saved by the bell, eh? Couldn't be truer.

Well, yes, he had been saved by his mother's phone call. Even as he felt himself slipping slowly into unconsciousness, in the spur of that moment, the school phone had rung, resulting in Koushu halting in her assault towards him. And she had picked it up, glaring at him as she found out it was his mother. As Koushu listened to his mother's gripes, Sanzo found her gaping in disbelief as words were exchanged between them.

And finally, Koushu had hung up.

Well, little boy, you're safe – at least for today. Saved by the phone.

"...Fuck."

That was the last thing that Sanzo murmured, quietly, before burying his head in his pillow.

And cried himself to sleep.

****

Haunting tears of crystal clear,

Bring profound sadness and much to fear.

****

"Sanzo-kun?"

The young boy who had about just drifted off to siesta was rid of any sleep he had as the other voice rang through the room, clear as a bell. The adolescent of fourteen sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to make the tears on his cheeks less obvious as he looked up hesitantly at the figure in the doorway.

At his father.

"Yes, tou-san? [father]" Sanzo asked quietly, before burying himself under the coverlets again.

His said father stepped in, and seeing his son huddled up in bed, didn't bother to switch on the lights. Instead, he leaned forward, and buried his face in the crook of Sanzo's neck. The young boy flinched, and blushed even as his dark-haired father did so. He tried shifting away from his father's touch, and failed to do so as his father pulled him closer.

"Had a bad dream, Sanzo-kun?" his father purred, the thick, black locks of hair tickling Sanzo's cheek. The elder man of his late thirties traced one hand over Sanzo's bare arm, before reaching up to stroke his smooth cheek. Sanzo cringed.

Why is father acting like this?

"But you don't have to worry," the dark-haired one continued, and bent forward to expose Sanzo's face as he tilted the younger one's chin. "'Cause otou-san is always here for you." The boy could recognize the scent of alcohol that adorned his father's form, and his eyes widened as he realized his father was drunk.

"Tou-san! Don't - "

But he was too late, for his father had crushed his lips to his own in a shattering kiss.

****

Why does this fate befall me, you always say

This fate befalls you because fate always has its way.

****

[A/N] DANGIT! I can't believe I wrote that! Anyways, my right eye hurts like hell because of the stupid marching practice we had yesterday for Malaysia's CNY Open House celebration [Malaysians should know this] and yah, I can't really move my legs...I'm not even sure if they're still working...and my throat [cough] right, I've complained too much. Can't help it anyways. Oh well.

****

THANKS TO:
****

Kamen: But...I'm innocent! *__* Heh.

Kenren19: I'll...contemplate on when Homura will appear... *sweatdrop*

jashuang: Awh...

Star-chan: Couldn't be truer. [bursts into tears]

s@iyUki : Thanks! ^^ Same ages? Well...for fun, I guess...and to suit the scene.

M-i: Shocking, but I *am* that angsty. And all of it's true. Every bit.

chris: I do. ^^ Otherwise I wouldn't be writing this neh?

gallatica: Iie...based on real experience. But I like Family Portrait, its nice. Haha :P Quotes ah? Hm...secret.

nan

Nora D: Go ahead. *holds up Chibi Goku* ^_^ But Goku's 'deru's! Hehe...

me: Omigosh, thank YOU!

enervate @ Serena: Yah! Thank you! And that was an equally nice update for Fraudulences too! ^^

akasha_death: Hey, don't worry...the asst. Head in my school also doesn't suck up...

Stuntcat: *squeals* GOKU-CHIBI CLONE! ^_^ *glomps* Good lord, the Oompa-Loompas? [shudder] Please, don't. And I thought Veruca Salt was the craziest girl in the world to want one of them...

'deru: Hey, chill man. ^^;; Milo deals damage too...Sanzo ka? Blue house? ^^ Maybe...and anyways, you've got your wish...Goku's in Francis! HAHAHA! XD XD Pikachu Umbrella 4eva! [holds up own Pikachu umbrella] ^^

****

~THANK YOU~

Love,

Gokugurl

8th February 2003: 12.25 PM