"Next week is my birthday."
Machi said it out loud as she opened her eyes. Her birthday... She hadn't celebrated a birthday since she was a child, and even then she hadn't had what one would call a 'normal' birthday.
She preferred not to think about it. "Machi, you in there?"
Shalnark entered her room. Shalnark. the Shalnark. The Shalnark she'd done it with, even thought that was, about what, a month ago? "I thought I heard someone talking. was it you?" "Have I granted you right to enter my room?" Machi said. "Yes, I was talking for myself, that's what old people do. Now get out so I can get dressed, you pervert!"
Shalnark didn't move an inch. "You're not old," he smiled "we're the same age, remember?"
Machi glared at him with her big, yellow eyes. He continued to smile. "What, you scared of aging?" "No, I'm not. I just remembered I'm turning 25 within a week, and most of my childhood dreams still haven't come true", Machi sighed. "As haven't mine."
He sat down at the edge of her unmade bed. "What were your dreams?" he wondered. "We- e-l- l. I wanted to learn hatsu. And I did", Machi said, and a smile arose up in her face. "Secondly, I wanted to get rich (can be that whenever I want) and meet Mr. Right and marry him, which I didn't. And that's it. So how 'bout you?" "I wanted to meet you."
There was a silence, so thick that you cut it with a knife. "W- what did you say?" Machi asked, confused. "I wanted to meet you", Shalnark repeated. "I guess you're as near the girl in my dreams I could ever hope to get to know."
Machi sighed. Not now, and not with him.. "I. think you should go, Shalnark", she said. "Is that a no?" He arose from the bed, with a wrinkle in his forehead. "Hey, I mean, you're one of my best friends. And yes, I am aware that we've slept once, but. Just give me some time to think it over, that's all. I will think it over, y' know."
He didn't answer that. As soon as he had closed the door, Machi dressed herself and opened her window.
It was raining outside, and it was four floors to the ground, but she didn't care - with a Nen- thread as her only link between the window and herself, she climbed down.
Running away from the building where the Ryodan had their headquarters, she couldn't think of anything except getting into York Shin City.
That's why she ran into a complete stranger, or so she thought. The force when they bumped into each other threw her to the ground.
At first, she thought it was Shalnark - he had the same golden hair color, and she was starting to see Shalnarks everywhere. Or was it a girl? "Sorry", she muttered, and was helped up by a thin hand, worn by a couple of rings. "No need to apologize", said the blonde young man, and helped her stand up. Definitely a man. "I was thinking of something else.
Golden eyes met black. And for an instant, she felt a tickling feeling in her stomach.
Machi said it out loud as she opened her eyes. Her birthday... She hadn't celebrated a birthday since she was a child, and even then she hadn't had what one would call a 'normal' birthday.
She preferred not to think about it. "Machi, you in there?"
Shalnark entered her room. Shalnark. the Shalnark. The Shalnark she'd done it with, even thought that was, about what, a month ago? "I thought I heard someone talking. was it you?" "Have I granted you right to enter my room?" Machi said. "Yes, I was talking for myself, that's what old people do. Now get out so I can get dressed, you pervert!"
Shalnark didn't move an inch. "You're not old," he smiled "we're the same age, remember?"
Machi glared at him with her big, yellow eyes. He continued to smile. "What, you scared of aging?" "No, I'm not. I just remembered I'm turning 25 within a week, and most of my childhood dreams still haven't come true", Machi sighed. "As haven't mine."
He sat down at the edge of her unmade bed. "What were your dreams?" he wondered. "We- e-l- l. I wanted to learn hatsu. And I did", Machi said, and a smile arose up in her face. "Secondly, I wanted to get rich (can be that whenever I want) and meet Mr. Right and marry him, which I didn't. And that's it. So how 'bout you?" "I wanted to meet you."
There was a silence, so thick that you cut it with a knife. "W- what did you say?" Machi asked, confused. "I wanted to meet you", Shalnark repeated. "I guess you're as near the girl in my dreams I could ever hope to get to know."
Machi sighed. Not now, and not with him.. "I. think you should go, Shalnark", she said. "Is that a no?" He arose from the bed, with a wrinkle in his forehead. "Hey, I mean, you're one of my best friends. And yes, I am aware that we've slept once, but. Just give me some time to think it over, that's all. I will think it over, y' know."
He didn't answer that. As soon as he had closed the door, Machi dressed herself and opened her window.
It was raining outside, and it was four floors to the ground, but she didn't care - with a Nen- thread as her only link between the window and herself, she climbed down.
Running away from the building where the Ryodan had their headquarters, she couldn't think of anything except getting into York Shin City.
That's why she ran into a complete stranger, or so she thought. The force when they bumped into each other threw her to the ground.
At first, she thought it was Shalnark - he had the same golden hair color, and she was starting to see Shalnarks everywhere. Or was it a girl? "Sorry", she muttered, and was helped up by a thin hand, worn by a couple of rings. "No need to apologize", said the blonde young man, and helped her stand up. Definitely a man. "I was thinking of something else.
Golden eyes met black. And for an instant, she felt a tickling feeling in her stomach.