Whee. disclaimer! I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters, places,
and names affiliated with it. This was originally written as an English
short story assignment and I haven't looked at it in a LONG while. I'm
posting it up just because I can (Heh, heh.) and I want to see what people
think about how I write. Umm. don't flame me or anything because like I
said, this was an assignment so some of the stuff in here is very odd to
people who usually read Yu-Gi-Oh fanfictions. This will serve as a trailer-
type thing for 'Falling', a story I intend to post up in maybe a month or
so, okay? ^^; Stay tuned for that! I'll be using all of the characters
mentioned so look for that too. Umm. yesh. This is my first fanfiction so
please bear that in mind as you read this, alright? That said, read on!
-Yami no Shoujo
Peachie
The girl shuffled down one of the hallways of Domino High School, crowded with the bodies of so many teenagers unlike her. Upon reaching the classroom dubbed A-2 she slammed her bag on an empty desk and slid into the seat before her, long black hair falling into her deep blue eyes peering at those around her.
Somehow they knew, knew her dark orbs were upon them, glaring with a jaded glint in them. Ignoring their scornful stares back, she slid deeper into the desk, awaiting her new instructor.
"Will they just shut up?" the girl muttered as the bell rang, signaling the start of the day bringing in the teacher with it. "Settle down and SIT!!!" the somewhat agitated woman bellowed over the racket of voices in the room. Some shuffling and farewells ensued before the class grew silent.
"I'd like to introduce a new student. Kuraire Momoki, please stand up."
The black haired teen rose from the seat, her head down and shoulders hunched.
"Hello," she said, not smiling, an icy and sarcastic tone to her voice.
"Kuraire has just moved here from Tokyo by herself- I don't want ANY of you to trouble her, understood?" the teacher glowered at the adolescents threateningly.
"Yes, Miss Kazuko." the students muttered dully.
"Good," Miss Kazuko smiled inwardly as the bell rang, "Kuraire, could you come up here for a minute?"
The girl now knows as Kuraire scowled but obeyed, dragging her feet as she made her way down the column of desks, stroking them with her thin fingers as she passed.
Gathering her belongings, the instructor handed Kuraire a packet of papers, "Now, I need your caretaker to sign those whoever they are and then give them to me tomorrow. Ryou!" she called out suddenly, summoning a slim boy with white hair, brown eyes, and a youthful, innocent face.
"Yes, ma'am?" the boy said in a soft voice.
"Kuraire, this is Ryou; Ryou Bakura. He has the same schedule as you so you'll follow him all day. Ryou, I need you to watch her so she doesn't get into any trouble."
"Yes, Miss Kazuko," Ryou murmured, looking over at Kuraire curiously.
"Good, I leave her in your hands," the teacher smiled triumphantly and walked out the door, leaving the two teens standing there.
"So-"
"Don't bother with the greetings," Kuraire said, cutting off Ryou's speech, leaving him wide-eyed, "Just go 'way," the girl glared him before she turned on her heel, disappearing into the crowd of students waiting for the next period.
He was stunned.
Not by her lack of respect for him, but by her eyes; that one look she had given him struck his heart like ice. There was true hatred in those unfathomable blue orbs. along with sadness and pain. The myriad of hurtful experiences in her eyes was overwhelming to him. yet, he wanted to see them again.
***
Later that day at lunch, students unveiled their meals, swapped, and ate from their bags and boxes, chattering with the other pupils.
Kuraire sat alone.
Glancing around at her peers now and then, she began to toy with the fabric of her school uniform. To be honest, she truly abhorred the stupid, cutesy outfit. It consisted of a white shirt underneath a pink, long- sleeved vest along with a blue bow at the chin and a short blue skirt.
"Cursed, stupid." she muttered in the seat, yanking off the bow and flinging it on the wooden desk, crossing her arms.
"Hello," a voice said above her.
Kuraire's head shot up, finding herself looking at the snow-haired boy from that morning.
"What?" she demanded, hair falling into her face as she thrust her chin forward a bit, defiantly.
"Um. I. was wondering if. I could sit with you- for lunch, I mean," he stuttered, clutching a lunch in one hand and running the other through his mid-back length hair. Raising an eyebrow slightly stunned, she replied, "Sure babe, wherever you like," a small mischievous smile displayed itself on her lips at his surprise at her calling him 'babe'.
"Don't worry, I call everyone babe- don't take it the wrong way," relaxing a bit in his presence, she leaned forward into the desk, propping up her chin with her left hand.
He sighed, relieved, dropping his shoulders a little. Looking around for a while, he settled into the desk left of Kuraire removing a sandwich, a soda can, and a small sweet bun.
She watched him devour part of the sandwich for a few moments before he noticed she had nothing on her desk. "Are you finished eating already?" he asked, taking a sip of the soda.
"No. I don't have anything to eat, that's all," she replied, indifferently.
Ryou looked at her, concerned for a few moments before taking his still-wrapped bun into one of his hands and offering it to the girl, "Here- you can have it."
Kuraire looked at the bread, taken aback.
"Um. thanks." she murmured, taking it and placing it on the desk, her back slightly hunched over. She stared at it for a few moments then Ryou. the bread. Ryou. the bread. Ryou.
"Why?" she finally managed to say.
Ryou looked at her nonchalantly, "I don't know- because I was worried I suppose," he said, turning back to his lunch, "You're welcome, by the way."
Kuraire looked at him for quite some time before finally turning her attention to the bread before her, opening it slowly, and feeling a bit strange doing so. No one had done such a generous thing to her since. 'No, don't think about that,' she thought to herself, tearing the bread in half and eating the insides first.
All through lunch the two teenagers sat side by side, eating in silence. Kuraire kept glancing over at the boy over and over. By the end of the period, she had made up her mind.
'He's my friend.'
***
At the end of the day, Kuraire walked out of the high school, thinking about the boy who was now her friend.
It was strange.
All her life, Kuraire had been alone. People always shunned her for some absurd reason- the most common was just because she was an orphan, moving from house to house, place to place, city to city, in search of a family. The agents who were always searching for those perfect enough to love her and for her to love in return never did quite find such a thing for her- nearly every time they placed her in the care of another, it was always a mistake. They always beat her, screamed at her, berated her until she was fearful to return to the place she was to call 'home'.
Except once.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she murmured the names of those she had, for the first time, felt true love for, "Kenshin Momoki. Naoko Momoki. Sakura Momoki. Dad. Mom. sis.".
For eight glorious months, they were her family. She remembered them. when Kuraire was eight, the Momoki family had taken her in, treating her like the child she was meant to be, allowing her youthful nature to grow and expand, letting her imagination free. Although she got into trouble at times, they never beat her, merely gave her a lecture on what she did wrong and what to do to improve herself and make it right. she missed them so.
Kenshin was such a generous man. she adored him, giving her piggy- back rides at such an old age, buying her sweets and making funny stories to entertain her. and his other daughter Sakura. Kuraire giggled at the memory of her former sister Sakura. She was so clumsy. an innocent 14-year old klutz. Yet she would protect Kuraire at any cost. she remembered the one time an elder child from the elementary school had bullied her for quite some time. One day she came home with a large bruise on her cheek- Sakura was furious. Immediately, she took Kuraire to the child's house, planning on threatening the boy, scaring him to death. Unfortunately, the boy had an elder brother named Kakeru, who was 15 years old; when Sakura and Kuraire arrived, Kakeru challenged Sakura to a fight. Sakura accepted. Kuraire and the other child watched as the two teenagers fought, each cheering their elder sibling on. In the end, surprisingly Sakura won, gaining the promise of the two brothers to never harass Kuraire again- they kept the promise.
'I learned a lot about how to fight,' Kuraire thought to herself now, grinning at the memory of the scratched-up face of her sister when she won the brawl. Of course, Naoko, her mother, didn't approve of it. but she never did like fighting, Kuraire recalled, ever so gentle, Naoko always sought a peaceful way to end conflicts- but she had a temper. One time at the department store, she had yelled at the cashier because the clothes she wanted weren't going to arrive for three months. Kuraire remembered how she, Sakura, and her father had laughed at the sight of the serene woman going berserk over a pair of jeans. "IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! THESE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED FOR A MONTH- AND NOW THEY'RE NOT HERE!?!?" she had screamed, berating the manager thoroughly.
Kuraire laughed out loud at the memories, the memories that were so wonderful. the memories that ended one fateful day.
On what was to be her ninth birthday, October 23, Kuraire was sent out to the playground, being told that the family was cleaning up the house a little and didn't want Kuraire to be injured. Not suspecting anything, not having had a real birthday party once in her life, she left, not knowing what was to come.
When she returned two hours later, the house was in flames.
The fire had started because of gangs- a local gang had thrown a flaming bundle of cloth into the house while the family was in the basement, getting out some party supplies they had been saving for a while. The fire spread in the house, while the family wrapped presents, decorated a small banner and the like; by the time they knew of the hellish flames above them it was too late. Smoke poured in and unable to escape, they all suffocated; Kenshin, Naoko, and Sakura- the entire Momoki family was dead.
Kuraire was dead inside as well, devastated by the death of the only ones she had truly cared for- that was how, on her ninth birthday, Kuraire Momoki lost the ability to cry. On that day, she wept openly, unable to sleep, the sight of the dear house where her family had lived in flames haunting her every waking moment. It went on like this for at least two months. Kuraire was numb- she felt nothing but grief; in a way, she herself thought she had lost the ability to love, to care for another. Since then, nothing had made her weep- not death, not pain; nothing made a single tear run down her pale cheek. Sometimes the tears would pool in her eyes, but they couldn't fall- it was like an invisible barrier held them back.
"But why do I care for Ryou?" she murmured quietly, crossing the street, shaking her head a little to shake the painful memories away. 'Maybe he reminds me of them. in a way he does,' she thought, still walking along the concrete sidewalk, 'He's nice like them.' Her thoughts kept going back to the boy and her feelings for him. Upon reaching an apartment complex building, she entered, going inside the elevator and pressing a button that would take her to the third floor, 'But it's strange. I- haven't felt like this in so long. haven't cared for someone else. maybe I love him.' She thought sarcastically, laughing out loud. The teen stepped out of the small room as the doors slid open, walking down the hallway to her place, 'Ha, yeah right. Oh, Ryou, I love you so!' she imagined her saying that to him, ''I love you too, Kuraire! Marry me!''
By that time, the girl was cracking up, just thinking of the timid boy saying that to her.
When she reached the door with the number 3-12 on it, she took out a key from a chain around her neck she kept hidden underneath her shirt, turning it in the lock. She stopped laughing when she found who was inside.
It was her agent, Aya Mizuki. The tall woman with short blond hair and green eyes had a sugary-sweet smile on her lips as she watched the scowling teenager walk in, "How was your first day, dear?"
"Oh shut up, old one. It was just lovely." She said coldly, glaring at the woman invading her apartment.
The smile flickered for a moment before Mrs. Mizuki got up and put a hand on the teen's shoulder- or at least tried to. Kuraire stepped away from the touch, blue eyes filled with utter loathing of the one who had brought her so much pain. "That's nice Peachie."
"Don't call me 'Peachie'," Kuraire said icily.
"Why? You used to love that name. remember when you were with the -"
"SHUT UP!!! You DON'T have to remind me!!!" the teenager shrieked, remembering the name she used to answer to. 'Peachie'. It was what the Momoki's called her- seeing as how their name meant 'peach tree'; it used to be Sakura's pet name, really, but when Kuraire entered their lives, she passed on the nickname to the smaller child.
Sighing impatiently, the woman massaged her temples, "Look kid, I'm only trying to help."
"No you're not. all my life you've brought me to these stupid jerks that mistreated me, hated me, used me." Kuraire said, her breath beginning to hasten.
"Oh shut up. I tried my best, kid. Now- what's that in your hand?" the now aggravated woman pointed at the packet of papers the teacher had given Kuraire.
"You sign 'em," she said matter-of-factly, holding them out to the woman, "From the school."
As Mrs. Mizuki shuffled through the packet, taking out a pen and putting her signature where needed, Kuraire took a glance around the small apartment that was hers- quite pathetic really. There was a sad-looking couch on one side of the room, small television, desk, table, shelf. along with a tiny kitchen on the other side of the enclosure holding a fridge, stove, oven, and microwave, along with a couple drawers and cupboards. Behind Mrs. Mizuki, there were two doors- one that was a tiny room, the other a bathroom. The room, Kuraire knew, was merely a loft bed and a drawer below it. As far as she was concerned, it might as well have been a closet for its size. The bathroom was clean; admittedly small, but since she was alone, it sufficed her needs of sanitation.
Small, but it was hers.
When the woman finished with all the signing, she handed the papers back to the teenager, "Okay, so the child care services will take care of most of the rent on this place, but you have to get a job. preferably one that pays $200 a month at least so you have money to spare."
"Yes ma'am." the girl said, putting the papers into the schoolbag on her shoulders, somewhat sarcastically.
Mrs. Mizuki sighed, looking tired, "Look, I've tried my best to find you a place okay, Pea- Kuraire. Now, it's up to you to make the best of it kiddo. I've got to go now. have some other kids to take care of y'know. You know my number, there's a pay phone in the lobby. Five hundred dollars is in the drawer in your room to get you started in this place," she looked around the room, "Use it well, kid. you'll need it." Getting her purse from the small couch and a large binder, folders and a clipboard, she looked at the girl, who had her back to her.
True pity was in the green eyes, "Good luck." She murmured, leaving and closing the door silently behind her.
It was happening again- the tears were pooling. Kuraire squeezed her eyelids together, hoping something would come out. but nothing did. A pathetic whimper escaped the tight lips as she collapsed on the floor, face in hands. The memories flooded back. the fights. the struggles. the pain. the sadness. it all came. it all came back. She remembered the fights as well. the painful fights that left so many scars on her body. Throughout her life she had been made fun of. until she burst with fury. They enjoyed it. The ones who teased her enjoyed watching the anger unleash as they beat her body to a pulp and she was forced to be carried off to a hospital. "So much pain. so. very. much." Kuraire murmured the weight of it all returning. The memories, the pain. returned.
***
The next day at school, Kuraire arrived silent, not defiant like the other day, but today her entire being sagged with the weight of the memories that came back. Last night, she hadn't been able to sleep, instead she lay there in the bed, thinking.
As she approached the school, she heard some hoarse laughs and someone whimpering. It came from an alley straight ahead of the girl, where obviously some punks were beating up a peer for some idiotic reason, 'Probably for money or something.' she thought. She could have kept walking. she could, but she instead chose to glance into the alley, curiosity overcoming fear. and what she saw infuriated her: Ryou.
The boy was pinned down by three elder boys with the same school uniform as Ryou; matching pants and a long-sleeved deep blue shirt that was buttoned up the front.
"C'mon!!! Apologize, stupid!!!" One of them yelled, jerking the white hair from the younger one's scalp.
Ryou whimpered, "I already did."
"HEY!!!" Kuraire yelled, "What do you think you're doing!?"
The boys looked over at the girl, an angry look in her eyes. They laughed.
"Don't you worry girlie." one of them said, letting go of his arm and walking over to her, "Just leave this to us. in the meantime, why don't I just grab a smooch from your lips and we'll leave it at- OOF!!!!" The boy went flying backwards into the brick wall behind him, face bloodied; mainly from his mouth which Kuraire had kicked.
The girl looked down on him in disgust while he struggled to get up, "Don't." she said, in an icy and fearful tone. He stopped moving, afraid of what she could. and would do.
Kuraire turned her attention to the two stunned boys who stared at their comrade's body, "Let go of Ryou's hair. or I will kill you." Her eyes flashed wrathfully, showing truth in the threat.
"S-sure of course. heh. we- we were just kidding. um. Ryou." The one holding his hair stuttered, helping the boy up, "W-well, um. s-s-see you later." the two ran off. The third one rose hastily, following them.
"Um. thanks. what was that for?" Ryou said, rising slowly, feeling his scalp.
Kuraire turned to him. and smiled, "For the bread. and because you're my friend."
***
That's how it was for the next few weeks. Kuraire and Ryou were friends, they stood up for each other, more Kuraire for Ryou than the other way around, sat together at lunch, and just offered help to one another. But Kuraire never told him her secret, nor where she lived- she'd tell him later, when she thought he was ready to bear her burden as well as his own.
One day, entering the school alone as usual, Kuraire was approached by a worried-looking elder girl with short green hair and two purple, longer strips of hair in front of her ears, "Um. hi. I'm new here. ah." she stuttered, obviously struggling to find the words, "I don't know where I. ah. go to class."
Kuraire blinked, "Neither do I. do you at least know what your classroom is supposed to be?" she asked, having memorized the school's layout a few days before.
"Um. C-1," the girl said, looking down at a slip of paper in her hands, "My name's Nikore if that helps."
Kuraire shook her head, "It doesn't really help, but it's a nice name. the C wing is to the left of you. keep going until you find the room called C-1 and that's yours," she said, after a moment's hesitation.
"Thanks. I just moved here from America and I don't know much. um. Japanese. What's your name?"
"Why?" Kuraire said, slightly irked by the girl's peppy nature.
"Curiosity." Nikore replied shortly.
"Um. Its Kuraire." she said, glancing over at the clock above her, "I'm going to be late now. good bye. Nikore," Kuraire said hastily, running down the hallway to her class.
***
At the end of the day, Kuraire exited the school slightly worried. One, because Ryou wasn't there- but that wasn't really cause for alarm, seeing as there was a flu bug going around the school that Kuraire hadn't caught yet.. And two, was because she hadn't paid the rent. Last time, she had used part of the money Mrs. Mizuki had left her but obviously it wouldn't last long- even with the support she was getting, for she had searched for quite some time, but Kuraire still couldn't manage to find a job that would suffice to pay her rent and accept high schoolers for employees. Sighing, she trudged down the steps, remembering how the Momoki family always kept their weights off her shoulders. always. 'Stop thinking about that,' she silently scolded herself, 'The pain will come-'
"Kuraire!!!" A voice called behind her.
She turned around to see the girl from that morning- Nikore, "Um. hi." She said to the elder one, wondering why she was talking to her.
"Hi! School sucks, doesn't it? I mean, it's boring and all- hey, is something wrong?"
Kuraire looked at her, shocked. First of all, she had just intruded on her thoughts as if she had known her forever; second, she sensed her worry. what was with this girl?! "Nothing." Kuraire said slowly, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Something's wrong. I know it! My friends always did say I could tell people's feelings. like I'm psychic or something." The older teenager laughed and made a funny face as if she was attempting to meditate.
Kuraire joined in on the laughter, relaxing a bit. But for her sake, she decided to just come out and tell Nikore what was wrong, seeing as she would most likely forget about it soon enough, "It's my rent. I can't pay it."
Nikore looked at the younger one, stunned, "Rent? Pay?! You live alone?"
"Yeah." Kuraire said slowly, "Is that so wrong?"
"No. It's great! 'Cause you can live with me!!!" Nikore said happily.
Kuraire could have most likely fallen over if a small wind had come by just then, "GREAT!?!? Are you insane?!... Wait, you're telling me I can LIVE with you? I barely know you and you're telling me that I'm officially your roommate?!"
Nikore laughed, the utter look of shock upon Kuraire's pale face was hilarious to her, "Yeah! But you can know me- I'm Nikore Ume, born April ninth, my favorite food is cake, least favorite food is sour foods I guess. um. I like to draw." the girl rambled on, set on telling Kuraire everything about herself.
Kuraire raised an eyebrow, "You're scaring me."
"Is that yes?"
"NO, YOU MORON!!!" Kuraire yelled at Nikore, her patience thinning.
"That's not very nice," Nikore said, winking.
"I DON'T CARE!!!"
"Well, I do! And I'm telling you, you're going to live with me; that's that." Nikore crossed her arms, smiling mischievously.
Kuraire sighed exasperatedly, fed up with the older girl's rants. For the sake of her sanity, she decided to give in, 'What have I got to lose?' she thought.
"Alright. I'll live with you."
"AWESOME!!! Now I have 6 roommates!"
"SIX ROOMATES!?!?"
"Uh-huh," Nikore nodded happily, "Including you, I now have 3 girls and 3 boys!"
"Th-three boys?" Kuraire stuttered, gulping. 'Ha. what have I got to lose. let's see. my virginity might be one.' she thought, resenting her decision now.
"Yup. I'll help you with your stuff and you can move in tomorrow. seeing as its Sunday and all."
Kuraire was ready to faint, "Okay."
***
The next day, Kuraire, with her belongings in a medium-sized box arrived at the doorstep of a larger and nicer apartment complex than her own. Nikore met her in the lobby, smiling excitedly, "Hi! I think you're going to like it here!... Unfortunately no one's home except for me. Saji and Zarina are at work, Tai and Katarou are at the arcade and Szu's off with his friends," she said, rolling her eyes, "They can be so rude!!"
Kuraire's head was spinning with the new names, "Ka- Katarou?"
"Yeah, he's one of the boys. well c'mon!!!" Taking Kuraire's things into her own arms, she sped for the elevator, obviously very enthusiastic about the move-in.
Kuraire followed, hands shaking- from fear of both the new people who lived in this apartment. and Nikore herself.
They rose to the 7th floor and walked down a hallway until they reached a room identified as 7-I.
"Could you open that?" Nikore asked Kuraire. The younger one obeyed and found herself in a flurry of confetti.
"SURPRISE!!!" Many voices chorused, happily cheering. As the confetti cleared, Kuraire found herself looking at 5 people she had never seen before.
Nikore laughed, setting down Kuraire's belongings on the floor, "Sorry. I couldn't resist. I better introduce you."
"Don't worry, we can do it ourselves!" a short green haired girl said. Her hair was pulled back into a low pony tail while some hair escaped the confines of the scrunchie and fell into her face, "I'm Zarina Kazuko."
A boy with red hair that stood on end and green eyes waved, "Yo. I'm Szu, Szu Ryota."
Another boy with short blue hair and a band of red cloth around his forehead smiled, "I'm Tai Mamoru. and this is Katarou Sora." He added, pointing to a blond boy with slightly longer than usual hair who was timidly smiling.
'He reminds me of Ryou.' Kuraire thought to herself.
"And I'm Saji Tomiko," A long blue haired girl said finally, a lot taller than the others.
Nikore smiled cheerfully at Kuraire, "Well, I think you'll like it here."
Kuraire, who all this time had been standing silently, finally spoke up, ".So do I." She laughed, "So do I!!!"
Peachie
The girl shuffled down one of the hallways of Domino High School, crowded with the bodies of so many teenagers unlike her. Upon reaching the classroom dubbed A-2 she slammed her bag on an empty desk and slid into the seat before her, long black hair falling into her deep blue eyes peering at those around her.
Somehow they knew, knew her dark orbs were upon them, glaring with a jaded glint in them. Ignoring their scornful stares back, she slid deeper into the desk, awaiting her new instructor.
"Will they just shut up?" the girl muttered as the bell rang, signaling the start of the day bringing in the teacher with it. "Settle down and SIT!!!" the somewhat agitated woman bellowed over the racket of voices in the room. Some shuffling and farewells ensued before the class grew silent.
"I'd like to introduce a new student. Kuraire Momoki, please stand up."
The black haired teen rose from the seat, her head down and shoulders hunched.
"Hello," she said, not smiling, an icy and sarcastic tone to her voice.
"Kuraire has just moved here from Tokyo by herself- I don't want ANY of you to trouble her, understood?" the teacher glowered at the adolescents threateningly.
"Yes, Miss Kazuko." the students muttered dully.
"Good," Miss Kazuko smiled inwardly as the bell rang, "Kuraire, could you come up here for a minute?"
The girl now knows as Kuraire scowled but obeyed, dragging her feet as she made her way down the column of desks, stroking them with her thin fingers as she passed.
Gathering her belongings, the instructor handed Kuraire a packet of papers, "Now, I need your caretaker to sign those whoever they are and then give them to me tomorrow. Ryou!" she called out suddenly, summoning a slim boy with white hair, brown eyes, and a youthful, innocent face.
"Yes, ma'am?" the boy said in a soft voice.
"Kuraire, this is Ryou; Ryou Bakura. He has the same schedule as you so you'll follow him all day. Ryou, I need you to watch her so she doesn't get into any trouble."
"Yes, Miss Kazuko," Ryou murmured, looking over at Kuraire curiously.
"Good, I leave her in your hands," the teacher smiled triumphantly and walked out the door, leaving the two teens standing there.
"So-"
"Don't bother with the greetings," Kuraire said, cutting off Ryou's speech, leaving him wide-eyed, "Just go 'way," the girl glared him before she turned on her heel, disappearing into the crowd of students waiting for the next period.
He was stunned.
Not by her lack of respect for him, but by her eyes; that one look she had given him struck his heart like ice. There was true hatred in those unfathomable blue orbs. along with sadness and pain. The myriad of hurtful experiences in her eyes was overwhelming to him. yet, he wanted to see them again.
***
Later that day at lunch, students unveiled their meals, swapped, and ate from their bags and boxes, chattering with the other pupils.
Kuraire sat alone.
Glancing around at her peers now and then, she began to toy with the fabric of her school uniform. To be honest, she truly abhorred the stupid, cutesy outfit. It consisted of a white shirt underneath a pink, long- sleeved vest along with a blue bow at the chin and a short blue skirt.
"Cursed, stupid." she muttered in the seat, yanking off the bow and flinging it on the wooden desk, crossing her arms.
"Hello," a voice said above her.
Kuraire's head shot up, finding herself looking at the snow-haired boy from that morning.
"What?" she demanded, hair falling into her face as she thrust her chin forward a bit, defiantly.
"Um. I. was wondering if. I could sit with you- for lunch, I mean," he stuttered, clutching a lunch in one hand and running the other through his mid-back length hair. Raising an eyebrow slightly stunned, she replied, "Sure babe, wherever you like," a small mischievous smile displayed itself on her lips at his surprise at her calling him 'babe'.
"Don't worry, I call everyone babe- don't take it the wrong way," relaxing a bit in his presence, she leaned forward into the desk, propping up her chin with her left hand.
He sighed, relieved, dropping his shoulders a little. Looking around for a while, he settled into the desk left of Kuraire removing a sandwich, a soda can, and a small sweet bun.
She watched him devour part of the sandwich for a few moments before he noticed she had nothing on her desk. "Are you finished eating already?" he asked, taking a sip of the soda.
"No. I don't have anything to eat, that's all," she replied, indifferently.
Ryou looked at her, concerned for a few moments before taking his still-wrapped bun into one of his hands and offering it to the girl, "Here- you can have it."
Kuraire looked at the bread, taken aback.
"Um. thanks." she murmured, taking it and placing it on the desk, her back slightly hunched over. She stared at it for a few moments then Ryou. the bread. Ryou. the bread. Ryou.
"Why?" she finally managed to say.
Ryou looked at her nonchalantly, "I don't know- because I was worried I suppose," he said, turning back to his lunch, "You're welcome, by the way."
Kuraire looked at him for quite some time before finally turning her attention to the bread before her, opening it slowly, and feeling a bit strange doing so. No one had done such a generous thing to her since. 'No, don't think about that,' she thought to herself, tearing the bread in half and eating the insides first.
All through lunch the two teenagers sat side by side, eating in silence. Kuraire kept glancing over at the boy over and over. By the end of the period, she had made up her mind.
'He's my friend.'
***
At the end of the day, Kuraire walked out of the high school, thinking about the boy who was now her friend.
It was strange.
All her life, Kuraire had been alone. People always shunned her for some absurd reason- the most common was just because she was an orphan, moving from house to house, place to place, city to city, in search of a family. The agents who were always searching for those perfect enough to love her and for her to love in return never did quite find such a thing for her- nearly every time they placed her in the care of another, it was always a mistake. They always beat her, screamed at her, berated her until she was fearful to return to the place she was to call 'home'.
Except once.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she murmured the names of those she had, for the first time, felt true love for, "Kenshin Momoki. Naoko Momoki. Sakura Momoki. Dad. Mom. sis.".
For eight glorious months, they were her family. She remembered them. when Kuraire was eight, the Momoki family had taken her in, treating her like the child she was meant to be, allowing her youthful nature to grow and expand, letting her imagination free. Although she got into trouble at times, they never beat her, merely gave her a lecture on what she did wrong and what to do to improve herself and make it right. she missed them so.
Kenshin was such a generous man. she adored him, giving her piggy- back rides at such an old age, buying her sweets and making funny stories to entertain her. and his other daughter Sakura. Kuraire giggled at the memory of her former sister Sakura. She was so clumsy. an innocent 14-year old klutz. Yet she would protect Kuraire at any cost. she remembered the one time an elder child from the elementary school had bullied her for quite some time. One day she came home with a large bruise on her cheek- Sakura was furious. Immediately, she took Kuraire to the child's house, planning on threatening the boy, scaring him to death. Unfortunately, the boy had an elder brother named Kakeru, who was 15 years old; when Sakura and Kuraire arrived, Kakeru challenged Sakura to a fight. Sakura accepted. Kuraire and the other child watched as the two teenagers fought, each cheering their elder sibling on. In the end, surprisingly Sakura won, gaining the promise of the two brothers to never harass Kuraire again- they kept the promise.
'I learned a lot about how to fight,' Kuraire thought to herself now, grinning at the memory of the scratched-up face of her sister when she won the brawl. Of course, Naoko, her mother, didn't approve of it. but she never did like fighting, Kuraire recalled, ever so gentle, Naoko always sought a peaceful way to end conflicts- but she had a temper. One time at the department store, she had yelled at the cashier because the clothes she wanted weren't going to arrive for three months. Kuraire remembered how she, Sakura, and her father had laughed at the sight of the serene woman going berserk over a pair of jeans. "IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! THESE HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED FOR A MONTH- AND NOW THEY'RE NOT HERE!?!?" she had screamed, berating the manager thoroughly.
Kuraire laughed out loud at the memories, the memories that were so wonderful. the memories that ended one fateful day.
On what was to be her ninth birthday, October 23, Kuraire was sent out to the playground, being told that the family was cleaning up the house a little and didn't want Kuraire to be injured. Not suspecting anything, not having had a real birthday party once in her life, she left, not knowing what was to come.
When she returned two hours later, the house was in flames.
The fire had started because of gangs- a local gang had thrown a flaming bundle of cloth into the house while the family was in the basement, getting out some party supplies they had been saving for a while. The fire spread in the house, while the family wrapped presents, decorated a small banner and the like; by the time they knew of the hellish flames above them it was too late. Smoke poured in and unable to escape, they all suffocated; Kenshin, Naoko, and Sakura- the entire Momoki family was dead.
Kuraire was dead inside as well, devastated by the death of the only ones she had truly cared for- that was how, on her ninth birthday, Kuraire Momoki lost the ability to cry. On that day, she wept openly, unable to sleep, the sight of the dear house where her family had lived in flames haunting her every waking moment. It went on like this for at least two months. Kuraire was numb- she felt nothing but grief; in a way, she herself thought she had lost the ability to love, to care for another. Since then, nothing had made her weep- not death, not pain; nothing made a single tear run down her pale cheek. Sometimes the tears would pool in her eyes, but they couldn't fall- it was like an invisible barrier held them back.
"But why do I care for Ryou?" she murmured quietly, crossing the street, shaking her head a little to shake the painful memories away. 'Maybe he reminds me of them. in a way he does,' she thought, still walking along the concrete sidewalk, 'He's nice like them.' Her thoughts kept going back to the boy and her feelings for him. Upon reaching an apartment complex building, she entered, going inside the elevator and pressing a button that would take her to the third floor, 'But it's strange. I- haven't felt like this in so long. haven't cared for someone else. maybe I love him.' She thought sarcastically, laughing out loud. The teen stepped out of the small room as the doors slid open, walking down the hallway to her place, 'Ha, yeah right. Oh, Ryou, I love you so!' she imagined her saying that to him, ''I love you too, Kuraire! Marry me!''
By that time, the girl was cracking up, just thinking of the timid boy saying that to her.
When she reached the door with the number 3-12 on it, she took out a key from a chain around her neck she kept hidden underneath her shirt, turning it in the lock. She stopped laughing when she found who was inside.
It was her agent, Aya Mizuki. The tall woman with short blond hair and green eyes had a sugary-sweet smile on her lips as she watched the scowling teenager walk in, "How was your first day, dear?"
"Oh shut up, old one. It was just lovely." She said coldly, glaring at the woman invading her apartment.
The smile flickered for a moment before Mrs. Mizuki got up and put a hand on the teen's shoulder- or at least tried to. Kuraire stepped away from the touch, blue eyes filled with utter loathing of the one who had brought her so much pain. "That's nice Peachie."
"Don't call me 'Peachie'," Kuraire said icily.
"Why? You used to love that name. remember when you were with the -"
"SHUT UP!!! You DON'T have to remind me!!!" the teenager shrieked, remembering the name she used to answer to. 'Peachie'. It was what the Momoki's called her- seeing as how their name meant 'peach tree'; it used to be Sakura's pet name, really, but when Kuraire entered their lives, she passed on the nickname to the smaller child.
Sighing impatiently, the woman massaged her temples, "Look kid, I'm only trying to help."
"No you're not. all my life you've brought me to these stupid jerks that mistreated me, hated me, used me." Kuraire said, her breath beginning to hasten.
"Oh shut up. I tried my best, kid. Now- what's that in your hand?" the now aggravated woman pointed at the packet of papers the teacher had given Kuraire.
"You sign 'em," she said matter-of-factly, holding them out to the woman, "From the school."
As Mrs. Mizuki shuffled through the packet, taking out a pen and putting her signature where needed, Kuraire took a glance around the small apartment that was hers- quite pathetic really. There was a sad-looking couch on one side of the room, small television, desk, table, shelf. along with a tiny kitchen on the other side of the enclosure holding a fridge, stove, oven, and microwave, along with a couple drawers and cupboards. Behind Mrs. Mizuki, there were two doors- one that was a tiny room, the other a bathroom. The room, Kuraire knew, was merely a loft bed and a drawer below it. As far as she was concerned, it might as well have been a closet for its size. The bathroom was clean; admittedly small, but since she was alone, it sufficed her needs of sanitation.
Small, but it was hers.
When the woman finished with all the signing, she handed the papers back to the teenager, "Okay, so the child care services will take care of most of the rent on this place, but you have to get a job. preferably one that pays $200 a month at least so you have money to spare."
"Yes ma'am." the girl said, putting the papers into the schoolbag on her shoulders, somewhat sarcastically.
Mrs. Mizuki sighed, looking tired, "Look, I've tried my best to find you a place okay, Pea- Kuraire. Now, it's up to you to make the best of it kiddo. I've got to go now. have some other kids to take care of y'know. You know my number, there's a pay phone in the lobby. Five hundred dollars is in the drawer in your room to get you started in this place," she looked around the room, "Use it well, kid. you'll need it." Getting her purse from the small couch and a large binder, folders and a clipboard, she looked at the girl, who had her back to her.
True pity was in the green eyes, "Good luck." She murmured, leaving and closing the door silently behind her.
It was happening again- the tears were pooling. Kuraire squeezed her eyelids together, hoping something would come out. but nothing did. A pathetic whimper escaped the tight lips as she collapsed on the floor, face in hands. The memories flooded back. the fights. the struggles. the pain. the sadness. it all came. it all came back. She remembered the fights as well. the painful fights that left so many scars on her body. Throughout her life she had been made fun of. until she burst with fury. They enjoyed it. The ones who teased her enjoyed watching the anger unleash as they beat her body to a pulp and she was forced to be carried off to a hospital. "So much pain. so. very. much." Kuraire murmured the weight of it all returning. The memories, the pain. returned.
***
The next day at school, Kuraire arrived silent, not defiant like the other day, but today her entire being sagged with the weight of the memories that came back. Last night, she hadn't been able to sleep, instead she lay there in the bed, thinking.
As she approached the school, she heard some hoarse laughs and someone whimpering. It came from an alley straight ahead of the girl, where obviously some punks were beating up a peer for some idiotic reason, 'Probably for money or something.' she thought. She could have kept walking. she could, but she instead chose to glance into the alley, curiosity overcoming fear. and what she saw infuriated her: Ryou.
The boy was pinned down by three elder boys with the same school uniform as Ryou; matching pants and a long-sleeved deep blue shirt that was buttoned up the front.
"C'mon!!! Apologize, stupid!!!" One of them yelled, jerking the white hair from the younger one's scalp.
Ryou whimpered, "I already did."
"HEY!!!" Kuraire yelled, "What do you think you're doing!?"
The boys looked over at the girl, an angry look in her eyes. They laughed.
"Don't you worry girlie." one of them said, letting go of his arm and walking over to her, "Just leave this to us. in the meantime, why don't I just grab a smooch from your lips and we'll leave it at- OOF!!!!" The boy went flying backwards into the brick wall behind him, face bloodied; mainly from his mouth which Kuraire had kicked.
The girl looked down on him in disgust while he struggled to get up, "Don't." she said, in an icy and fearful tone. He stopped moving, afraid of what she could. and would do.
Kuraire turned her attention to the two stunned boys who stared at their comrade's body, "Let go of Ryou's hair. or I will kill you." Her eyes flashed wrathfully, showing truth in the threat.
"S-sure of course. heh. we- we were just kidding. um. Ryou." The one holding his hair stuttered, helping the boy up, "W-well, um. s-s-see you later." the two ran off. The third one rose hastily, following them.
"Um. thanks. what was that for?" Ryou said, rising slowly, feeling his scalp.
Kuraire turned to him. and smiled, "For the bread. and because you're my friend."
***
That's how it was for the next few weeks. Kuraire and Ryou were friends, they stood up for each other, more Kuraire for Ryou than the other way around, sat together at lunch, and just offered help to one another. But Kuraire never told him her secret, nor where she lived- she'd tell him later, when she thought he was ready to bear her burden as well as his own.
One day, entering the school alone as usual, Kuraire was approached by a worried-looking elder girl with short green hair and two purple, longer strips of hair in front of her ears, "Um. hi. I'm new here. ah." she stuttered, obviously struggling to find the words, "I don't know where I. ah. go to class."
Kuraire blinked, "Neither do I. do you at least know what your classroom is supposed to be?" she asked, having memorized the school's layout a few days before.
"Um. C-1," the girl said, looking down at a slip of paper in her hands, "My name's Nikore if that helps."
Kuraire shook her head, "It doesn't really help, but it's a nice name. the C wing is to the left of you. keep going until you find the room called C-1 and that's yours," she said, after a moment's hesitation.
"Thanks. I just moved here from America and I don't know much. um. Japanese. What's your name?"
"Why?" Kuraire said, slightly irked by the girl's peppy nature.
"Curiosity." Nikore replied shortly.
"Um. Its Kuraire." she said, glancing over at the clock above her, "I'm going to be late now. good bye. Nikore," Kuraire said hastily, running down the hallway to her class.
***
At the end of the day, Kuraire exited the school slightly worried. One, because Ryou wasn't there- but that wasn't really cause for alarm, seeing as there was a flu bug going around the school that Kuraire hadn't caught yet.. And two, was because she hadn't paid the rent. Last time, she had used part of the money Mrs. Mizuki had left her but obviously it wouldn't last long- even with the support she was getting, for she had searched for quite some time, but Kuraire still couldn't manage to find a job that would suffice to pay her rent and accept high schoolers for employees. Sighing, she trudged down the steps, remembering how the Momoki family always kept their weights off her shoulders. always. 'Stop thinking about that,' she silently scolded herself, 'The pain will come-'
"Kuraire!!!" A voice called behind her.
She turned around to see the girl from that morning- Nikore, "Um. hi." She said to the elder one, wondering why she was talking to her.
"Hi! School sucks, doesn't it? I mean, it's boring and all- hey, is something wrong?"
Kuraire looked at her, shocked. First of all, she had just intruded on her thoughts as if she had known her forever; second, she sensed her worry. what was with this girl?! "Nothing." Kuraire said slowly, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Something's wrong. I know it! My friends always did say I could tell people's feelings. like I'm psychic or something." The older teenager laughed and made a funny face as if she was attempting to meditate.
Kuraire joined in on the laughter, relaxing a bit. But for her sake, she decided to just come out and tell Nikore what was wrong, seeing as she would most likely forget about it soon enough, "It's my rent. I can't pay it."
Nikore looked at the younger one, stunned, "Rent? Pay?! You live alone?"
"Yeah." Kuraire said slowly, "Is that so wrong?"
"No. It's great! 'Cause you can live with me!!!" Nikore said happily.
Kuraire could have most likely fallen over if a small wind had come by just then, "GREAT!?!? Are you insane?!... Wait, you're telling me I can LIVE with you? I barely know you and you're telling me that I'm officially your roommate?!"
Nikore laughed, the utter look of shock upon Kuraire's pale face was hilarious to her, "Yeah! But you can know me- I'm Nikore Ume, born April ninth, my favorite food is cake, least favorite food is sour foods I guess. um. I like to draw." the girl rambled on, set on telling Kuraire everything about herself.
Kuraire raised an eyebrow, "You're scaring me."
"Is that yes?"
"NO, YOU MORON!!!" Kuraire yelled at Nikore, her patience thinning.
"That's not very nice," Nikore said, winking.
"I DON'T CARE!!!"
"Well, I do! And I'm telling you, you're going to live with me; that's that." Nikore crossed her arms, smiling mischievously.
Kuraire sighed exasperatedly, fed up with the older girl's rants. For the sake of her sanity, she decided to give in, 'What have I got to lose?' she thought.
"Alright. I'll live with you."
"AWESOME!!! Now I have 6 roommates!"
"SIX ROOMATES!?!?"
"Uh-huh," Nikore nodded happily, "Including you, I now have 3 girls and 3 boys!"
"Th-three boys?" Kuraire stuttered, gulping. 'Ha. what have I got to lose. let's see. my virginity might be one.' she thought, resenting her decision now.
"Yup. I'll help you with your stuff and you can move in tomorrow. seeing as its Sunday and all."
Kuraire was ready to faint, "Okay."
***
The next day, Kuraire, with her belongings in a medium-sized box arrived at the doorstep of a larger and nicer apartment complex than her own. Nikore met her in the lobby, smiling excitedly, "Hi! I think you're going to like it here!... Unfortunately no one's home except for me. Saji and Zarina are at work, Tai and Katarou are at the arcade and Szu's off with his friends," she said, rolling her eyes, "They can be so rude!!"
Kuraire's head was spinning with the new names, "Ka- Katarou?"
"Yeah, he's one of the boys. well c'mon!!!" Taking Kuraire's things into her own arms, she sped for the elevator, obviously very enthusiastic about the move-in.
Kuraire followed, hands shaking- from fear of both the new people who lived in this apartment. and Nikore herself.
They rose to the 7th floor and walked down a hallway until they reached a room identified as 7-I.
"Could you open that?" Nikore asked Kuraire. The younger one obeyed and found herself in a flurry of confetti.
"SURPRISE!!!" Many voices chorused, happily cheering. As the confetti cleared, Kuraire found herself looking at 5 people she had never seen before.
Nikore laughed, setting down Kuraire's belongings on the floor, "Sorry. I couldn't resist. I better introduce you."
"Don't worry, we can do it ourselves!" a short green haired girl said. Her hair was pulled back into a low pony tail while some hair escaped the confines of the scrunchie and fell into her face, "I'm Zarina Kazuko."
A boy with red hair that stood on end and green eyes waved, "Yo. I'm Szu, Szu Ryota."
Another boy with short blue hair and a band of red cloth around his forehead smiled, "I'm Tai Mamoru. and this is Katarou Sora." He added, pointing to a blond boy with slightly longer than usual hair who was timidly smiling.
'He reminds me of Ryou.' Kuraire thought to herself.
"And I'm Saji Tomiko," A long blue haired girl said finally, a lot taller than the others.
Nikore smiled cheerfully at Kuraire, "Well, I think you'll like it here."
Kuraire, who all this time had been standing silently, finally spoke up, ".So do I." She laughed, "So do I!!!"