Second chapter! Hope you enjoy it. ^_^
Libra_gal: Yeah, when I re-read it, I realised that it wasn't funny! Dunno what made me so serious all of a sudden. -_- It's not really a switch of style or genre – I believe it's more or less the same as other fics I've written. Give it some time! Still, I hope it's good enough and that you're not disappointed! Thanks for reviewing!
Mitsui_jir: Wow, like, I was so, like, blown away with that, like, cool review! Actually, I didn't, like, really understand, cuz, like, well, it was sort of, like, dotted with 'likes', like you know? And you do, like, know that I, like, love you too, right? And what's, like, a sporter? And I've like, updated Poor You Too, so you can, like, sort of enjoy it. So, like, thanks for reviewing. Well, like, bye now. Like. ^_^
Teh_tarik: Fics with crazy people intrigue you? Why, ah? *peers suspiciously at tehtarik* You don't… happen to belong in that group, do you? Wahahahaha! Just joking. Don't worry, I'll continue. Don't wanna get more death threats. And I'll do my best to bring out Kara's illness. Feel free to correct me if I get it wrong.
Aeris: The fic's just started! So there's no telling if it's great or not. But thanks anyway! Ha ha! I'd LOVE to do a Hanagata fic, but it sort of has to come to me. But I promise you, if the story does come knocking on my skull, I'll write it out first thing. ^_^
Patty g: Updating! Thanks for the dictionary meaning! Wahahahaha! How did you know I never bother to check dictionaries??
Dysfunctional-sama: Thanks! You keep reading, okay?
Crazy4U: Me? Mereng? No-lah…You play Ragnarok Online? I got the free CD but didn't even bother to try it. Heh heh…
It was barely six in the morning when the doorbell rang loudly. Unsteadily, Kogure got up from the surrogate bed he'd made for himself on the kitchen floor and made his way to the door and opened it. Blinking in disbelief, he stared at the two figures filling his doorway. "Akagi?" he muttered. "Mitsui? What are you doing here??"
The two of them shoved him aside and stepped in cautiously, eyes roving. "Your neighbour called us at about 4 a.m. this morning," Mitsui informed him as he and Akagi continued checking the house as if on a bomb patrol. "Said she heard some weird screaming coming from your apartment. So we came to rescue you. The police are on the way."
Kogure would've laughed if he'd had some energy. "Everything's all right, guys," he assured them, rubbing his tired eyes. "It's just … well, you can say something weird and unexpected happened."
"We knew it!" Akagi snarled. "Where's the crazy man who's disturbing you?"
Kogure closed the door and gestured to the chairs around the coffee table. "It's a woman," he said dryly. "Have a seat."
"A woman?" Mitsui's eyebrow perked up. "Ah, well, that's not so bad."
"You can say that again," Kogure sighed, pouring the coffee he'd made the night before. "Her name is Kara Ubiki," he told them as he came back with three mugs. "She's the daughter of my mom's best friend. I don't remember her much, except that we used to play together when I was seven and she was three. I was her babysitter, actually. Anyway, my mom was fond of her and always said Kara was the daughter she always wanted to have."
"And you're the son she wished she never had." Mitsui snorted.
"Very funny," Kogure handed him his mug. "When she was eight, her family moved away, so that was that. But I suppose my mom kept in touch. I, on the other hand, had forgotten all about them until last night."
"What? She appeared out of nowhere?"
"Sort of." Kogure stretched his neck, working out the kinks. "Apparently, she was admitted into the hospital when she was thirteen and has been there for ten years. Her parents have disappeared, and my parents are no longer here, so the hospital sent her to me."
"Tsk tsk tsk," Akagi sighed. "Poor girl."
"Yeah, to be stuck with you." Mitsui added.
Kogure ignored that.
"What's her disease? She okay now?"
Kogure looked around anxiously and then dropped his voice into a whisper. "Schizophrenia."
"SCHIZOPHRENIA!" Mitsui exclaimed, loud as trumpets. "SERIOUSLY?? You mean, that crazy paranoia where the person thinks he's hearing voices in his head telling him to do mad stuff like bungee jumping over the Tokyo Tower without harnesses?"
"Yeah, that."
Akagi was staring at Kogure. "That's heavy stuff, Kogure." He said gravely and worriedly. "Schizophrenics are no joke. You can never tell the things they're capable of doing. And taking care of one is mentally exhausting. Are you sure you want to take her in? Aren't you busy with your work and everything?"
Kogure nodded. "But what else can I do?"
"Send her back to the hospital!" Mitsui muttered.
"I can't. They won't take her back. She's supposed to have been cured of it, sort of."
"Sort of?" Mitsui scoffed. "Well, I sort of want to tell you that I sort of don't trust these hospital people who sort of take their responsibilities lightly."
"Can you sort of shut up, Mitsui?" Akagi asked.
They glared at each other.
"Oh."
At Kogure's quiet exclamation, both hotheads looked up. At the foot of the hallway leading to the bedrooms stood a girl, eyeing them cautiously and clutching at her clothes. Her lips trembled slightly and they were open.
Kogure immediately stood up. "Kara," he said, struggling to be light hearted. "Good morning. Come and join us." He waited for her to respond, but when she didn't, he carefully made his way to her and touched her hand.
She looked up to him for a full thirty seconds and then relented, following him as he led her to the last empty chair.
"This is Hisashi Mitsui," Kogure introduced, hoping his friends had suitably friendly expressions on their faces. "And this is Takenori Akagi."
Mitsui was gaping with his mouth wide open and Akagi looked as if he was struggling not to scream out loud.
Kara studied them, and then lowered her head. "Hello."
Kogure looked around nervously. "I'll get you your coffee," he said finally, and escaped to the kitchen.
He was stretching to reach for another mug when Mitsui walked in, looking for all the world as if he was just strolling in for an apple. Then, when he was out of sight from the living room, he dashed to Kogure's side. "You didn't say she was gorgeous, you nitwit!"
"She is," Kogure agreed, "but I've seen her in one of her fits."
"Oh," Mitsui's mouth formed a huge 'O'. "When?"
"Last night." Kogure answered, remembering. "I don't know what happened. I think she thought I was trying to spurn her away, and she got scared or something."
"Did she harm you?"
"No, but I was more worried about her harming herself."
Mitsui studied Kogure's haggard face. "Didn't sleep much either, did you?"
Kogure shook his head silently.
"Poor Akagi," Mitsui said unconvincingly. "I shouldn't have left him out there alone with her. Who knows what I'd find when we go back there. Probably a leftover of Akagi's arm." He stifled the gleeful smile.
"You're a sick man, Mitsui."
"Just joking."
When they came back to the living room, Akagi was desperately trying to find something to talk about while Kara sat still, her eyes steadily looking at the table. Akagi looked very relieved as they settled again and Kogure had handed Kara her mug of coffee.
"So," Mitsui said, clearing his throat. "What are you going to do today? It's a Sunday, after all."
Kogure glanced briefly at Kara. "I think I'll bring Kara out to buy some clothes. She hasn't got that many with her."
Akagi raised an eyebrow. "I have a better idea," he said. "Why don't we all drop over at Ayako's? She might have some clothes to spare."
Mitsui nodded. "Yeah. How's Ayako by the way?"
"I don't know. Why don't we find out?"
"And Miyagi?"
Akagi and Kogure snorted at the same time. "Still pining."
"Ayako is a friend of ours," Kogure told Kara, who remained disturbingly quiet. "Miyagi's this guy who's crazy about her. It's been years now. Anyway, you don't mind if we go visit Ayako, do you?"
Kara shook her head.
"It'll be good," Akagi said. "Girls should have girls for company, not guys like us."
"Guys like you, you mean," Mitsui corrected. "Girls love guys like me."
"Are you sure they're girls and not transvestites?"
