Ohayo, everyone! A little note before I start the story:

                Ah, finally, I've got this story all typed up! It's been in my head for quite awhile but I never bothered to write it. Well, now I did, and I'm thinking maybe I'd like to share it with you guys! Hehe…anyway this is the third time I've written a story that is NOT in first-person, so it might not be that good, please forgive me. Oh, and I'm not saying 'don't flame me' because I really don't mind flames…but if you flame, you ought to state your reason for doing so. ^-^ One last warning: This has abundant use of '-'…I don't know why, it just does, I can't help writing like that. Enjoy! Oh, and if you read, please review. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

                                                                                                                                                                                ~ BK0011

P.S. It might not have any Suboshi+Yui yet in the first chapter, because I'm just getting the storyline straight first. I promise you that this is not just a 'reincarnation fic' with no plot…I have a kind of detailed one, which you will find out about later. Okay?

Secrets of a Sapphire Blue Earring

                                                                                                                                                ***

'Why don't you listen to me?! I love you, Yui-sama!'…'No! Stop! Let go of me!!'…'I'm telling you, you can't trust Nakago! Do you know what things he does with Soi??…'

                Silence…a vague memory of a kiss…and she broke away…I broke away…why? Why did I refuse? Refuse to love him?!

                Sparkly blue eyes opened, the 'former' Seiryuu no Miko awoke. She ran a cool hand through her tousled blonde hair, breathing deeply.

                Another nightmare – if you could call those vivid memories nightmares – had entered her dreams. I stopped having those weeks ago! Why now? I thought I was over them. I thought they were gone! Finished! Lost forever! And now…they're coming back?! Ugh…it must be the exams. She gripped the blanket tightly, so hard that it got wrinkles. Yui was not a very tolerating person, and she detested her dreams very much. The very thought of them made her wrinkle her eyebrows, just like she did when Miaka failed her tests or when she saw an unpleasant sight. Yes, the nightmares had gone, for a while. Yui had believed them to be gone always…she had hoped they were. And she had thought they were…

                But she was wrong. Settling back into her ocean-blue sheets, Yui Hongou tried to sleep, avoiding all thoughts of nightmares as her weary eyes closed.

                She didn't know that the nightmares – and the past – would come back all too soon.

                                                                                                                                                ***

                It was a month or so already, after the Book of the Four Gods had disappeared.

                Yui and Miaka had patched up any hurt feelings towards each other already, so the issue with friendship had cleared up. Both girls were going to high school already as well -Yui had failed her Jonan high entrance exam, but amazingly, she didn't mind too much, because she was able to go to Yotsubadai with Miaka – they hardly had any classes together, but the joy of eating lunch and recess with each other was enough. Yui was a diligent student – she aced all her subjects, of course. She also managed to convince her parents that she had gone out for some dinner and managed to fall asleep – for a very long time, and that they had nothing to worry about – she wouldn't do it again, ever. Her parents finally let the issue disperse, much to Yui's relief, and so, life began as it was before the book…a plain, normal life, with studying and planning the future…that was about it. No wondrous Gods appearing, no miraculous powers, no mystical jewels and certainly no more star warriors. The Book, and the Universe it contained, would come into their minds now and then, but eventually they forgot about it…or at least Yui wanted to believe so.

                She couldn't forget. Not in the least. She pretended to be all ditzy about it when Miaka or Keisuke was near, but she remembered it clear as crystal. Every little detail…from the noticeable ones like the cold, unfeeling voice of Nakago right down to the little mole on one of Miaka's star warrior's cheek. It was like some sad movie that kept playing in her head, and how she wanted to press stop, and eject..! But she could not, and it bothered her so much – more than she wanted it to. The Book was ruining what she wanted to be a new and happy life…she wanted to graduate with flying colors, find her man, settle down and maybe start a family. But how could she, if things of the past were stuck in her head?

                Find her man…that reminded her, she was **going** with someone already.

                When Tetsuya had cushioned her fall, on the day the Book was closed, Yui had found him cute. One week later, they were more than friends. And then, after three weeks of sidelong glances and smiles, they were dating. Yes, Tetsuya was kind and handsome. He was not a bad student either, and Yui would always help him out when he had troubles with university schoolwork. She liked him enough, that was sure. But…but she did not love him.  She tried to deny it. She told herself she loved him. She wanted to love him. She even did something her genius mind would not permit her to do – drink a love potion (it did not work, by the way). But she could not love him, and it was for a simple reason that she could not, did not and would not love him – she loved someone else.

                Love is a very foolish thing sometimes, and in Yui's case it was not only foolish, it was stupid.

                She loved someone who had loved her too…someone who had wanted to protect her, someone who had tried to protect her, someone who, if she would have given him the chance, would make a great friend…someone who lived to her serve her only, and who got beat up often, and whose features were almost like her. Someone who had fought for her…and died for her too. Someone who was not real, who was never real, and not in any circumstances would become real. But she loved him, unreal as he was. She did not want to. She never gave herself the chance to. She never admitted that she did, and she never liked it at all.

                But, as I've said, it was a stupid love Yui had…and a love that would tear her heart apart again soon.

                                                                                                                                                ***

"Ne, Yui-chan, something up? You seem distracted."

                Yui placed her tray down wearily, shaking her head. He's been asking that so frequently these days. Do I really look that bad? "No, Tetsuya, I'm fine. Really." He looked at her worriedly. "Are you sure? You barely put anything on your plate. An apple, milk and some yogurt. Come on, you need more energy than that. Have some of my macaroni." He dumped some of the cheesy substance on her plate, and she smiled at him gratefully, though made no moves to eat it. The school cafeteria was full of life, yet Yui felt lifeless, dead. Tetsuya reached across the table and took her hand. "Is something bothering you? Tell me." She looked him square in the eye, and spoke evenly. "As a matter of fact, something is bothering me. Your shades. Why don't you ever take them off?" Tetsuya smiled a little, a smirk that resembled that of a fox's. Yui didn't like it. It looks so cocky. "The 'shady blues' again, huh? Come on, Yui. I told you already before." "I forgot." Her reply was sharp, and Tetsuya flinched. Something was definitely wrong with Yui today. "Okay, okay. No hard feelings. I said I wear them because I don't want people peeking into my soul." He chuckled a little, trying to break the eyes. Yui just flicked her hair and responded coolly. "What's that supposed to mean? That you can't trust me with your soul?" She was feeling fairly testy today, and it made her feel vile.

                "Yui! That's mean. You know I didn't mean anything of that sort. Maybe you should go see the guidance counselor or something."

                Yui placed a hand to her head. "You're right, Tetsuya. I'm being mean. I'm sorry, I don't feel so good. I had a nightmare last night, and it's doing weird things to my head. I think I'll go to the washroom." I feel positively horrendous. Maybe I need to puke. She stalked away, leaving her food uneaten and her boyfriend looking after her with an upset look on his face. The bathroom was not too far off – she reached it quickly, and briskly washed her face. She looked in the mirror – her long, blonde hair was limp, her blue eyes had dark rings underneath, her mouth had a tight look and she had various wrinkles all over. She was still beautiful, but the beauty was clouded by the fact that she looked VERY stressed. What is wrong with me?! Why do I feel so crummy? She knew that staying in the bathroom would do her no good, and besides, a bunch of flirtatious gossipers had entered, giggling unnervingly. She smiled at them politely and then hurried out, wondering what to do.

                I know…I'll check my test results ahead of time. Mr. Tanaka must have them out by now. She reached the faculty room and knocked twice on the door, waiting patiently for it to be answered. In a few seconds the door opened and her history teacher's head poked out. When he caught sight of his star student, he gave a wide smile. "Ahh, Yui! Perfect timing. I have some papers that need to be delivered to the filing office. Would you be ever so kind to hand them these?" He handed her a pale plastic folder, which she took without comment. "Sir? May I know my score in the previous test?" The middle-aged man nodded and disappeared from view for awhile. As he searched for her score, she studied the folder which rested in her hands. A label had been printed and stuck on the side, and she read turned the folder about and read it. New Student: Room 23 CLASS B – Profile/Photo. A new student! And in my class too! I wonder what he – or she? – looks like…she flipped open the folder, revealing a clear, colored photo of the new student.

                Or what was supposed to be the new student. It looked more like a 'former star warrior'.

                Her eyes blinked, and her head started

spinning. It was the same face – that exact face! – which had appeared in her dreams last night. No…! How could it possibly..? How in the world…? Her brilliant mind could not, for once in her life, find an answer. She stared at the photo mutely, and a swirl of emotions stirred in her, making her ache and wobble. She leaned against the wall for support – her legs were giving way. Mr. Tanaka's bright, curly head popped out again, and when he saw the state Yui was in, he dashed out of the room and tried to help her up. "Yui! Dear child! What is the matter? What's wrong? You look positively pale! You look white as a ghost! Dear girl, lets get you to the clinic right away!" He placed her shaking arm on his back and lifted her up.

                She was very nearly going to pass out – in fact she did, but not without a last thought. The thought was this:

                Suboshi…you can't let me go, can you? You don't want me to forget you…and now you're coming back…why…? Why?!

                                                                                                                                                ***

And you thought I'd forgotten

All that we've been through

How I wish I could say

That I did and so did you

But a voice in my head

Is telling me, 'don't let go',

And a memory from the past

Is ruining all I know…

An ache and a gripe

That's what you are

Who has poisoned my mind

And dragged me very far

I can't resurface anymore

I'm sinking quick as ever

But I'd be glad if I die

And see your face again – never!

And you thought I'd forgotten

All that we've been through

But I can't and though I'm trying not to

I'm still loving you…