~Strong Enough~
All standard disclaimers apply: don't own the characters, don't sue. ^_^
Please read & review!
Chapter 1 - Aiko
Miki Koishikawa rolled over, slinging her arm over her eyes to block the bright light persistently penetrating her eyelids. "Go 'way," she mumbled into her pillow.
"Get up, dummy, or you'll be late for school."
Half-asleep and decidedly rumpled, Miki sat up at her sort-of-stepbrother's voice. "What're you doing in my room?" she demanded, yawning.
Dressed in his school uniform-technically, their school uniform-Yuu Matsuura was leaning against the doorframe of Miki's bedroom, his expression a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "Waking you up. You have fifteen minutes before we have to leave for school."
Miki's eyes flew to the clock on her nightstand and widened as she took in the time. Tumbling out of bed, she cursed and tried to free herself from her tangled sheets while reaching for her school uniform. As she struggled, she heard Yuu chuckle behind her and raised her gaze to his in a glare. "What's so funny?"
"You." He smiled.
She glared some more. "Get out of my room!" If she had been able to reach it, she would've loved slamming the door in his face. I mean, seriously, what right does he have to stand there laughing at me looking so calm, awake, and so freaking hot, so early in the morning?
"It's not fair," she grumbled to herself as she pulled her top over her head. She tossed her nightgown onto her unmade bed-it'd have to suffer another day of wrinkles, which thankfully, her parents (.all four of them) didn't seem to mind, unlike most other Japanese families. But then again, her family definitely wasn't like most other Japanese families. Miki rolled her eyes and grabbed her shoes, hurrying down to the kitchen. Maybe she was kind of used to her family situation now, but it was still so weird!
"Think fast," Yuu said as she entered the kitchen. He tossed a bun at her, which she caught, but only after dropping the shoes on her toes.
"Ow! You jerk!" Miki spared him another glare and slid on shoes, clomping past him to the living room where she had left her schoolbag last night. It wasn't there. "AAH!" she shouted in panic. This was the perfect way to top off waking up late, wasn't it?
Yuu came up behind her, another bun in his hand. "If you're looking for your bag, I already packed it for you. It's by the front door." She whirled around to look up at him. He smiled and handed her the bun. "Here, you can eat this on the way." Then he turned and headed for the door.
Miki stared after him, startled as always by his random acts of kindness. Most of the time he acted so casual and cavalier, like he didn't have a care in the world, but he was always doing nice things like this that surprised her. Why are you so complicated, Yuu? Miki wondered as she followed him out the door.
He was, though. Complicated. If you wanted a shallow description, Yuu was a tall, good-looking blonde with a killer smile and a cool demeanor. He was confident and calm and was rarely ruffled, but most of it was a façade. A lot of people didn't recognize that. But Miki, who did have to live with him, after all, since their parents had decided to swap partners and all live happily together in one big house, had grown to know him. Well, as much as anyone could know Yuu. But she did know one thing-he was a lot more emotional than he showed, and beneath his don't-have-or-give-a-care attitude, he had huge, compassionate heart.
He was sweet.
Could be sweet, amended Miki as she followed him down the familiar road on their way to school. She smiled. But it didn't bother her too much that he didn't always display that thoughtfulness. She was satisfied with knowing that he had it.
Her good mood stayed with her as she entered class 2B. It was still a little unusual, being a sophomore instead of a freshman. But it was fun. Miki laughed and waved at her best friend, Meiko Akizuki. "Good morning," she sang out.
"You're in a good mood this morning," Meiko observed with a smile.
"Yeah." Out of the corner of her eye, Miki spotted Kishi Hirisiko and Masa Tendo chatting away at their desks. "So, what are the 'Gossips' gossiping about today?" she asked with a grin. Kishi and Masa, though fairly good students, were known more for their ceaseless tendency to gossip than their good grades.
Meiko shrugged. "I think it was something about a new student transfer."
"Oh," Miki groaned. She had mixed feelings about this, recalling the last time there had been a student transfer, it had been Yuu, and it had turned her world upside down.
"It's a girl, I think," Meiko said.
Her theory was proved correct a few minutes later as the teacher introduced the new student transfer. Her name was Aiko Shino, she was sixteen, had flawless posture as she stood beside the teacher, gracing the class with a small smile that only enhanced her beautiful blue eyes and golden hair. She wore her uniform well, the skirt showing off perfect legs most of the guys in the class made no disguise of checking out, and her gaze was level and cool until she reached Yuu. Then Aiko's eyes widened and her mouth parted in surprise. She quickly regained her composure and narrowed her eyes, curving her lips up in a smile as she shot him an unmistakable look.
You're mine, it said.
All standard disclaimers apply: don't own the characters, don't sue. ^_^
Please read & review!
Chapter 1 - Aiko
Miki Koishikawa rolled over, slinging her arm over her eyes to block the bright light persistently penetrating her eyelids. "Go 'way," she mumbled into her pillow.
"Get up, dummy, or you'll be late for school."
Half-asleep and decidedly rumpled, Miki sat up at her sort-of-stepbrother's voice. "What're you doing in my room?" she demanded, yawning.
Dressed in his school uniform-technically, their school uniform-Yuu Matsuura was leaning against the doorframe of Miki's bedroom, his expression a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "Waking you up. You have fifteen minutes before we have to leave for school."
Miki's eyes flew to the clock on her nightstand and widened as she took in the time. Tumbling out of bed, she cursed and tried to free herself from her tangled sheets while reaching for her school uniform. As she struggled, she heard Yuu chuckle behind her and raised her gaze to his in a glare. "What's so funny?"
"You." He smiled.
She glared some more. "Get out of my room!" If she had been able to reach it, she would've loved slamming the door in his face. I mean, seriously, what right does he have to stand there laughing at me looking so calm, awake, and so freaking hot, so early in the morning?
"It's not fair," she grumbled to herself as she pulled her top over her head. She tossed her nightgown onto her unmade bed-it'd have to suffer another day of wrinkles, which thankfully, her parents (.all four of them) didn't seem to mind, unlike most other Japanese families. But then again, her family definitely wasn't like most other Japanese families. Miki rolled her eyes and grabbed her shoes, hurrying down to the kitchen. Maybe she was kind of used to her family situation now, but it was still so weird!
"Think fast," Yuu said as she entered the kitchen. He tossed a bun at her, which she caught, but only after dropping the shoes on her toes.
"Ow! You jerk!" Miki spared him another glare and slid on shoes, clomping past him to the living room where she had left her schoolbag last night. It wasn't there. "AAH!" she shouted in panic. This was the perfect way to top off waking up late, wasn't it?
Yuu came up behind her, another bun in his hand. "If you're looking for your bag, I already packed it for you. It's by the front door." She whirled around to look up at him. He smiled and handed her the bun. "Here, you can eat this on the way." Then he turned and headed for the door.
Miki stared after him, startled as always by his random acts of kindness. Most of the time he acted so casual and cavalier, like he didn't have a care in the world, but he was always doing nice things like this that surprised her. Why are you so complicated, Yuu? Miki wondered as she followed him out the door.
He was, though. Complicated. If you wanted a shallow description, Yuu was a tall, good-looking blonde with a killer smile and a cool demeanor. He was confident and calm and was rarely ruffled, but most of it was a façade. A lot of people didn't recognize that. But Miki, who did have to live with him, after all, since their parents had decided to swap partners and all live happily together in one big house, had grown to know him. Well, as much as anyone could know Yuu. But she did know one thing-he was a lot more emotional than he showed, and beneath his don't-have-or-give-a-care attitude, he had huge, compassionate heart.
He was sweet.
Could be sweet, amended Miki as she followed him down the familiar road on their way to school. She smiled. But it didn't bother her too much that he didn't always display that thoughtfulness. She was satisfied with knowing that he had it.
Her good mood stayed with her as she entered class 2B. It was still a little unusual, being a sophomore instead of a freshman. But it was fun. Miki laughed and waved at her best friend, Meiko Akizuki. "Good morning," she sang out.
"You're in a good mood this morning," Meiko observed with a smile.
"Yeah." Out of the corner of her eye, Miki spotted Kishi Hirisiko and Masa Tendo chatting away at their desks. "So, what are the 'Gossips' gossiping about today?" she asked with a grin. Kishi and Masa, though fairly good students, were known more for their ceaseless tendency to gossip than their good grades.
Meiko shrugged. "I think it was something about a new student transfer."
"Oh," Miki groaned. She had mixed feelings about this, recalling the last time there had been a student transfer, it had been Yuu, and it had turned her world upside down.
"It's a girl, I think," Meiko said.
Her theory was proved correct a few minutes later as the teacher introduced the new student transfer. Her name was Aiko Shino, she was sixteen, had flawless posture as she stood beside the teacher, gracing the class with a small smile that only enhanced her beautiful blue eyes and golden hair. She wore her uniform well, the skirt showing off perfect legs most of the guys in the class made no disguise of checking out, and her gaze was level and cool until she reached Yuu. Then Aiko's eyes widened and her mouth parted in surprise. She quickly regained her composure and narrowed her eyes, curving her lips up in a smile as she shot him an unmistakable look.
You're mine, it said.