JUST BREATHE
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 8.
~*~*~*~
*FIVE YEARS LATER*
"Hilde! Time to wake up!" A cheerful voice called out. Curtains were flung open to reveal a bright, sunny day, and amethyst eyes were forced to close at the brightness that filled the room.
"Good morning!" Akane called, her voice eager and happy. Hilde couldn't help but smile.
Over the past five years, many things had changed. Hilde and Akane had entered college right after High-school had ended. Being interested in teaching, Hilde had taken up tutoring children while taking her college classes at the same time. The children seemed to love having a young, understanding teacher to help them with their difficult schoolwork, and Hilde loved to help.
But a month back, both Akane and Hilde had signed up for an exchange program that would allow the girl's to go to another country for a term, and study there. The girls had been ecstatic when they were told they would be studying in Hong Kong, at the same college that Meilei Li went to presently.
"Good morning." Hilde murmured, climbing out of her bed and stretching like a cat. Akane smiled.
"Has Heidi called you yet?" She asked Hilde shook her head.
The past few years had been different for Heidi as well. She had allowed her hair to grow out the least bit, and had taken several vigorous Physical Ed. classes in college. She and Bailey had decided to go to college in England, where Bailey had finally become aquatinted with the scheme the twins had cooked up all those years ago.
Hilde was now majoring in sports training, and was the assistant trainer of an all-girls sports league in London.
"Well, she promised to call. I wonder what's taking her!" Akane sighed. Hilde smiled and looked around her new room.
"She's probably either still asleep, talking with Bailey, or calling Hiro." She laughed. Over the years, Hiro and Heidi had become even closer, and Hilde had it on good authority (Bailey's brothers), that Hiro was planning on proposing the next time Heidi returned to Japan.
"I'd guess the third one!" Akane giggled, slipping on her outfit and quickly going through her bookbag. They were scheduled to meet Meilei at a tiny café on the college campus in fifteen minutes. They were going to have a small breakfast, and then Mei had promised to take them on a tour of the campus itself.
"Hurry! Meilei's going to be impatient!" Akane called. It was her first time actually meeting the girl, and Hilde's first time seeing her in so long.
"No she won't be. Meilei takes after her mother and her mother is the sweetest lady that I know. She didn't even flinch when mama told her what Heidi and I had done." Hilde commented, wincing as she mentioned the subject. Akane knew not to press the subject, and quickly distracted her friend by pulling her out the front door.
~*~*~*~
"HILDE!!!" Meilei shrieked, throwing herself into her friend's arms. Hilde laughed and held her close.
"Oh, I missed you so much! It just wasn't the same, talking on the phone like that!" Meilei sighed.
"I know. Oh, Meilei, this is Akane. Akane, this is Meilei Li." Hilde stated. The two girls summed each other up, and then grinned.
"Nice to meet you!" They chimed at the same time, shaking each other's hands. They all had a good laugh at this, and then Meilei sat them down and helped them decide what to choose for breakfast.
"So...how have you been?" Meilei asked, taking a sip of her tea. Hilde smiled.
"Just about the same as ever." She murmured. She didn't see Akane shaking her head slightly at Mei.
'She's not.' Akane mouthed. Meilei nodded in understanding.
"How is Heidi?" Meilei asked, wisely changing the subject. Hilde grinned.
"She's well. She's teaching a class of ten year-old girls presently, and loving every moment of it." Hilde announced. Meilei smirked.
"And I thought you were the kid-loving twin!" She laughed. Hilde giggled.
"I am. But Hilde's calmed down a bit the past few years, and has even become a little closer to Yuki as well."
"How is Yuki?"
"He's fine, too. You remember me mentioning Seamus's little sister, Mirah, don't you?" Hilde asked. Mei nodded. Akane grinned widely and winked.
"They're dating now. Man, Uncle Touya was so mad, I though he would blow a gasket when he found out his 'little girl' was dating an older guy!"
"But Uncle Touya knows Yuki..."
"Yes, but he's not so sure about the whole 'loving your second cousin' thing (courtesy of Uncle Eriol and aunt Nakuru, who are cousins)." Akane giggled. Mei gasped and started to giggle as well.
"But Yuki and Mirah are so in love, he didn't object long. In fact, now *he's* the one hoping for a wedding!" Hilde laughed. The girls fell into fits of giggles again, and it took them a while to calm down.
"So...when are you going to move into my dorm?" Meilei asked eagerly. Hilde and Akane exchanged shrugs.
"We were planning on tomorrow...but we could today, if you wouldn't mind."
"Mind?! Hilde, if you don't move in tonight, I am not going to consider you as my friend anymore!" Mei shrieked, hugging her. Hilde laughed happily and the girls went back to eating and chatting away.
None of them noticed the long black limo slinking by, nor the absolutely stunned face looking out the tinted glass window near the back.
~*~*~*~
"You will make a fine leader, after your father, Li-sama."
"Just don't allow your feelings to come between you and your duties."
"We do not need another repeat of the absolute disobedience of your father."
"I will think over what you have said, Honored Elders." A hard voice answered. A tall figure stood up from the center of the dim room and bowed respectfully at the men seated around three edges of the room. They all nodded their heads to him, and he turned to leave.
Kojii Li blinked as the light of the bright morning sun hit his eyes. He shielded them with one of his famous glares, and continued to walk away from the building, back towards the place he called home.
At twenty-three, Kojii now stood at a total height of six-foot-seven, two inches taller than his father. Because of the vigorous training that he had received when he first came back, he was quite muscular as well. His chestnut brown hair was as messy as ever, a stubborn lock falling into his cold amber eyes from time to time. His eyes, which had previously been filled with life and mischief, now seemed dead and cold, like an icy tree in winter.
"Good morning, Kojii." A young woman bowed as he passed her. He didn't seem to acknowledge her presence, and walked on. The young woman's dark brown eyes followed him greedily, and a strand of long brown hair blew into her face.
"Kojii? Are you all right?" The girl asked, running up behind him. A low growl erupted in his throat.
"Yes, Shayla, I am fine." His voice was deeper than it had been in his high- school days, but much colder. The young woman, Shayla, smiled and linked her arm through his.
"Darling, you really must start talking with me more. After all, we are engaged!" Shayla exclaimed. Kojii's eyes grew, if possible, colder.
"I have only agreed because it is my duty to my country."
"Yes, but surely there is another reason." She whispered seductively, running her eyes up and down his body. Kojii growled and pulled away.
"Leave me. I have more important things to do than listen to you talk about how I should love you and all that bull-sh*t." He hissed, stalking away from her. He soon found himself at the front of the Li mansion, and got into the limo that waited there.
"To the capital building." He commanded. The driver nodded and the car began it's journey. Kojii sighed as he saw his annoying fiancee waving to him from an upper window of his house.
He had agreed to this engagement only because the elders had insisted it was best. Since he had no wish to go against their judgment, he had consented, though he knew it would make him miserable.
'But am I not already miserable?' He thought bitterly to himself as he watched the buildings flash by. The memory of soft lips touching his, and small hands clutching to his shirt suddenly overcame him, and he had to resist the urge to groan. Even now...five years later...it was impossible to erase the feelings for her that he had had.
But that had been a different Heidi. A kind, loving Heidi. One that would have never thought of running into his best friend's arms, only days after he had kissed her. No, his Heidi would have felt guilt...perhaps even asked for forgiveness...and he would have willingly given it to her with open arms. But no. She had changed once more, was practically engaged to Hiro, and had unknowingly broken his heart.
But he still loved her. After all that, he still loved the memory of *his* Heidi. Not the one that now belonged to Hiro, but the one he had kissed and loved so much. *HIS* Heidi.
With an un-suppressed moan, he gazed out the window, desperately trying to find something that would take his mind off the girl who's memory had so haunted him these last five years. But no luck.
With a jolt of alarm and shock, he sat up, his eyes glued to something outside the car.
"It's impossible!" Kojii stammered, his eyes widening with shock as he gazed out the window.
For there, at a tiny street-corner café, sat his sister. And beside her, laughing happily, was...
Heidi Hiiragizawa.
~*~*~*~
*RING!*
*RING!*
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Meilei cried, as she raced out of her bathroom, an hour after her meeting with Hilde and Akane. She quickly patted her wet hair, which she had just finished washing, and opened to door.
"Kojii!" She exclaimed, happily hugging her brother. Kojii, however, stiffened at the contact and turned his cold eyes on her.
"May I come in?"
"Of course! What's the matter?" Meilei asked, as she led him into the dorm living room. Kojii sat on a high-backed chair and frowned.
"Where were you this morning?" He asked sharply. Mei smiled.
"At a café with some friends."
"I saw you there. And why, pray-tell, was Hiiragizawa-san there with you? Isn't she supposed to be in England, studying?" He hissed. Meilei smirked at her ruffled brother.
"Oh, that wasn't, Heidi, brother. And I'm so glad you actually listen when I talk about the going-on's of my friends!" She said teasingly. Kojii hissed.
"If it wasn't her, then who was it?" He snapped. Mei's face became serious, and she winced.
"Kojii, wait here. I think it is time that I kept a promise I made years ago." She murmured, quickly leaving the room and coming back with a framed picture in her hands.
"Kojii, look at this picture carefully. What do you see?" She asked, setting the picture in his lap. He glared at her and then studied the picture.
"Hiiragizawa, her brother, her parents and...HOLY SH*T! THERE'S TWO OF HER!" He shouted, bounding to his feet. Mei giggled.
"Yes, brother. Heidi has a twin. Hilde, Heidi's twin, is the one you saw this morning. She's also the one who made the truce with you all those years ago." Meilei stated, her eyes lowered. Kojii collapsed onto the chair in shock.
"Excuse me?"
Mei sighed and began her story of how Heidi had begged Hilde to imposture her, and told him the tale, all the way through to the end. But by the end, Kojii was looking stony again and his eyes had grown colder than ever. Mei saw this and sighed once again.
"Kojii, don't you see? Hilde asked me to tell you when the right time came. She truly didn't want to hurt you, and it nearly killed her to do so."
"Then why didn't she tell me?" He snapped. Mei glared.
"She promised her sister! And besides that, she knew you would be mad at her, and she couldn't stand that. Hilde's the kind of person who hates to have people mad at her, and does everything she can to ease their pain. In your case, she pushed you away, even though it nearly *killed* her to do it, so you wouldn't get hurt by Heidi." Mei spat. Kojii looked at her in shock, and opened his mouth to argue.
"Don't you dare! You know you would have gotten mad, admit it. Then you would have said hateful things to her that would have made her cry and...oh, Kojii! It would have hurt you even worse, too. I know what happened between you, because Akane, Hilde's friend, told me. You loved her then. You love her now, don't you?" Meilei asked. Kojii growled and stood up.
"I have to go." He snapped, walking to the door. Mei got up as well, and watched him leave.
"You can't run away from this forever, Kojii." She informed him dryly. Kojii's back stiffened even more than before.
"But I can try." He muttered, slamming the door behind him without a backward glance. Mei simply smirked.
"No you can't."
You see, Hilde had taken a job in Hong Kong, tutoring a group of five young children.
Those five children happened to be the sons and daughters of Kojii's and Meilei's aunts, the famous Li sisters...and they lived at the Li home.
The same Li home that Kojii called 'his' home.
~*~*~*~
"Hill, there's something you need to know." Meilei whispered that night, after Akane had gone to bed. The two girls were sitting out on the huge white deck, drinking hot-cocoa and talking about the past few years.
"What?" Hilde asked softly. From Meilei's expression, it couldn't be good.
"You know that the leader of Hong Kong has a lot of responsibility. And with that comes the instructions of the Elders." Meilei stated. Hilde nodded.
"Well, the Elders believe in...arranged marriages. They tried to arrange a marriage for my father, to Aunt Meiling, but that failed, obviously. And now..."
"I think I understand. They have arranged a marriage for your...brother." Hilde finished for her, choking on the last word. Meilei sighed.
"Yes. I know that he hates the idea, but he has agreed anyway. But his fiancee is...UGH! Hilde, she's a witch! Her name is Shayla Roderick, and her father is some big multi-millionaire. She pushes herself on my brother whenever she can, and she tries to seduce him at every turn. Luckily, she has been thus-far unsuccessful." Meilei announced.
"Why are you telling me this?" Hilde asked, her voice near to a whisper. She was glad it was dark, so Meilei couldn't see the tears trailing down her cheeks.
"When you go there tomorrow, I want you to beware of her. Stay as far away as you possibly can. And if you run into any of the elders, please be careful! They hate anyone who enters the Li grounds without their permission." Meilei warned. Hilde winced.
"Anything else I need to know?"
"One more thing. Um...my cousins are kind of...rowdy..."
"How so?"
"Well, they all have different personalities, but they like to...um...*test* their new teachers, to make sure that they are satisfactory. Just watch out for any stray pranks that may be played on you." Meilei informed her, grinning. Hilde paled slightly.
"Thank you so much."
~*~*~*~
"We finally found a new tutor for the children!" Siefa Tong (Li is her maiden-name), announced. Her mother, Yelan Li, looked up from her meal.
"Oh?" She asked, glancing down the table where several young people sat eating like little angels. But Yelan knew that all of her grandchildren, both school-age and no, were listening carefully.
"Yes! Meilei suggested her." Fanren interrupted, glancing down at her oldest daughter, Deluce. The small black-haired girl shot her a sly smile in return to her mother's warning glance.
"Who is it?" Yelan asked. Her four daughters wore mischievous looks on their faces.
"Her name is...Hilde Hiiragizawa." Fuutie announced. At this, Kojii choked on his food and Shayla, who was eating there that night, turned pale.
"Excuse me?" Kojii asked in a dangerous voice. The last sister, Feimei, nodded eagerly.
"Apparently, she is that darling Eriol Hiiragizawa's, daughter. Isn't it splendid? She is young, has had plenty of experience, and she's pretty on top of it. Meilei showed us her picture." Feimei announced. There were several snorts from down the table.
"We'll just see." Mumbled an older boy. Fuutie shot a deadly look at her oldest son.
"Chang, you will obey this woman. I will not have her running out of the house screaming, like your last teacher!" His mother snapped. The boy frowned and pouted in his chair.
"Mommy! I don't want a teacher." A little girl of about five, piped up.
"Yeah. We wanna play!" A boy of the same age announced. These were Siefa's twins, Akito and Ying-fa. Siefa shot them a glare.
"Well, you *will* have a teacher, and you *will* be polite to her, do I make myself clear?" She asked in a sharp voice. She not only eyed the children, but also Kojii as well. Kojii growled and got up, leaving the room without a look back.
"What's the matter with him?" Fuutie asked. Yelan looked after her grandson, suspiciously.
Was it just her, or had that been a flash of sadness that had crossed his eyes as he left the table?
~*~*~*~
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 8.
~*~*~*~
*FIVE YEARS LATER*
"Hilde! Time to wake up!" A cheerful voice called out. Curtains were flung open to reveal a bright, sunny day, and amethyst eyes were forced to close at the brightness that filled the room.
"Good morning!" Akane called, her voice eager and happy. Hilde couldn't help but smile.
Over the past five years, many things had changed. Hilde and Akane had entered college right after High-school had ended. Being interested in teaching, Hilde had taken up tutoring children while taking her college classes at the same time. The children seemed to love having a young, understanding teacher to help them with their difficult schoolwork, and Hilde loved to help.
But a month back, both Akane and Hilde had signed up for an exchange program that would allow the girl's to go to another country for a term, and study there. The girls had been ecstatic when they were told they would be studying in Hong Kong, at the same college that Meilei Li went to presently.
"Good morning." Hilde murmured, climbing out of her bed and stretching like a cat. Akane smiled.
"Has Heidi called you yet?" She asked Hilde shook her head.
The past few years had been different for Heidi as well. She had allowed her hair to grow out the least bit, and had taken several vigorous Physical Ed. classes in college. She and Bailey had decided to go to college in England, where Bailey had finally become aquatinted with the scheme the twins had cooked up all those years ago.
Hilde was now majoring in sports training, and was the assistant trainer of an all-girls sports league in London.
"Well, she promised to call. I wonder what's taking her!" Akane sighed. Hilde smiled and looked around her new room.
"She's probably either still asleep, talking with Bailey, or calling Hiro." She laughed. Over the years, Hiro and Heidi had become even closer, and Hilde had it on good authority (Bailey's brothers), that Hiro was planning on proposing the next time Heidi returned to Japan.
"I'd guess the third one!" Akane giggled, slipping on her outfit and quickly going through her bookbag. They were scheduled to meet Meilei at a tiny café on the college campus in fifteen minutes. They were going to have a small breakfast, and then Mei had promised to take them on a tour of the campus itself.
"Hurry! Meilei's going to be impatient!" Akane called. It was her first time actually meeting the girl, and Hilde's first time seeing her in so long.
"No she won't be. Meilei takes after her mother and her mother is the sweetest lady that I know. She didn't even flinch when mama told her what Heidi and I had done." Hilde commented, wincing as she mentioned the subject. Akane knew not to press the subject, and quickly distracted her friend by pulling her out the front door.
~*~*~*~
"HILDE!!!" Meilei shrieked, throwing herself into her friend's arms. Hilde laughed and held her close.
"Oh, I missed you so much! It just wasn't the same, talking on the phone like that!" Meilei sighed.
"I know. Oh, Meilei, this is Akane. Akane, this is Meilei Li." Hilde stated. The two girls summed each other up, and then grinned.
"Nice to meet you!" They chimed at the same time, shaking each other's hands. They all had a good laugh at this, and then Meilei sat them down and helped them decide what to choose for breakfast.
"So...how have you been?" Meilei asked, taking a sip of her tea. Hilde smiled.
"Just about the same as ever." She murmured. She didn't see Akane shaking her head slightly at Mei.
'She's not.' Akane mouthed. Meilei nodded in understanding.
"How is Heidi?" Meilei asked, wisely changing the subject. Hilde grinned.
"She's well. She's teaching a class of ten year-old girls presently, and loving every moment of it." Hilde announced. Meilei smirked.
"And I thought you were the kid-loving twin!" She laughed. Hilde giggled.
"I am. But Hilde's calmed down a bit the past few years, and has even become a little closer to Yuki as well."
"How is Yuki?"
"He's fine, too. You remember me mentioning Seamus's little sister, Mirah, don't you?" Hilde asked. Mei nodded. Akane grinned widely and winked.
"They're dating now. Man, Uncle Touya was so mad, I though he would blow a gasket when he found out his 'little girl' was dating an older guy!"
"But Uncle Touya knows Yuki..."
"Yes, but he's not so sure about the whole 'loving your second cousin' thing (courtesy of Uncle Eriol and aunt Nakuru, who are cousins)." Akane giggled. Mei gasped and started to giggle as well.
"But Yuki and Mirah are so in love, he didn't object long. In fact, now *he's* the one hoping for a wedding!" Hilde laughed. The girls fell into fits of giggles again, and it took them a while to calm down.
"So...when are you going to move into my dorm?" Meilei asked eagerly. Hilde and Akane exchanged shrugs.
"We were planning on tomorrow...but we could today, if you wouldn't mind."
"Mind?! Hilde, if you don't move in tonight, I am not going to consider you as my friend anymore!" Mei shrieked, hugging her. Hilde laughed happily and the girls went back to eating and chatting away.
None of them noticed the long black limo slinking by, nor the absolutely stunned face looking out the tinted glass window near the back.
~*~*~*~
"You will make a fine leader, after your father, Li-sama."
"Just don't allow your feelings to come between you and your duties."
"We do not need another repeat of the absolute disobedience of your father."
"I will think over what you have said, Honored Elders." A hard voice answered. A tall figure stood up from the center of the dim room and bowed respectfully at the men seated around three edges of the room. They all nodded their heads to him, and he turned to leave.
Kojii Li blinked as the light of the bright morning sun hit his eyes. He shielded them with one of his famous glares, and continued to walk away from the building, back towards the place he called home.
At twenty-three, Kojii now stood at a total height of six-foot-seven, two inches taller than his father. Because of the vigorous training that he had received when he first came back, he was quite muscular as well. His chestnut brown hair was as messy as ever, a stubborn lock falling into his cold amber eyes from time to time. His eyes, which had previously been filled with life and mischief, now seemed dead and cold, like an icy tree in winter.
"Good morning, Kojii." A young woman bowed as he passed her. He didn't seem to acknowledge her presence, and walked on. The young woman's dark brown eyes followed him greedily, and a strand of long brown hair blew into her face.
"Kojii? Are you all right?" The girl asked, running up behind him. A low growl erupted in his throat.
"Yes, Shayla, I am fine." His voice was deeper than it had been in his high- school days, but much colder. The young woman, Shayla, smiled and linked her arm through his.
"Darling, you really must start talking with me more. After all, we are engaged!" Shayla exclaimed. Kojii's eyes grew, if possible, colder.
"I have only agreed because it is my duty to my country."
"Yes, but surely there is another reason." She whispered seductively, running her eyes up and down his body. Kojii growled and pulled away.
"Leave me. I have more important things to do than listen to you talk about how I should love you and all that bull-sh*t." He hissed, stalking away from her. He soon found himself at the front of the Li mansion, and got into the limo that waited there.
"To the capital building." He commanded. The driver nodded and the car began it's journey. Kojii sighed as he saw his annoying fiancee waving to him from an upper window of his house.
He had agreed to this engagement only because the elders had insisted it was best. Since he had no wish to go against their judgment, he had consented, though he knew it would make him miserable.
'But am I not already miserable?' He thought bitterly to himself as he watched the buildings flash by. The memory of soft lips touching his, and small hands clutching to his shirt suddenly overcame him, and he had to resist the urge to groan. Even now...five years later...it was impossible to erase the feelings for her that he had had.
But that had been a different Heidi. A kind, loving Heidi. One that would have never thought of running into his best friend's arms, only days after he had kissed her. No, his Heidi would have felt guilt...perhaps even asked for forgiveness...and he would have willingly given it to her with open arms. But no. She had changed once more, was practically engaged to Hiro, and had unknowingly broken his heart.
But he still loved her. After all that, he still loved the memory of *his* Heidi. Not the one that now belonged to Hiro, but the one he had kissed and loved so much. *HIS* Heidi.
With an un-suppressed moan, he gazed out the window, desperately trying to find something that would take his mind off the girl who's memory had so haunted him these last five years. But no luck.
With a jolt of alarm and shock, he sat up, his eyes glued to something outside the car.
"It's impossible!" Kojii stammered, his eyes widening with shock as he gazed out the window.
For there, at a tiny street-corner café, sat his sister. And beside her, laughing happily, was...
Heidi Hiiragizawa.
~*~*~*~
*RING!*
*RING!*
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Meilei cried, as she raced out of her bathroom, an hour after her meeting with Hilde and Akane. She quickly patted her wet hair, which she had just finished washing, and opened to door.
"Kojii!" She exclaimed, happily hugging her brother. Kojii, however, stiffened at the contact and turned his cold eyes on her.
"May I come in?"
"Of course! What's the matter?" Meilei asked, as she led him into the dorm living room. Kojii sat on a high-backed chair and frowned.
"Where were you this morning?" He asked sharply. Mei smiled.
"At a café with some friends."
"I saw you there. And why, pray-tell, was Hiiragizawa-san there with you? Isn't she supposed to be in England, studying?" He hissed. Meilei smirked at her ruffled brother.
"Oh, that wasn't, Heidi, brother. And I'm so glad you actually listen when I talk about the going-on's of my friends!" She said teasingly. Kojii hissed.
"If it wasn't her, then who was it?" He snapped. Mei's face became serious, and she winced.
"Kojii, wait here. I think it is time that I kept a promise I made years ago." She murmured, quickly leaving the room and coming back with a framed picture in her hands.
"Kojii, look at this picture carefully. What do you see?" She asked, setting the picture in his lap. He glared at her and then studied the picture.
"Hiiragizawa, her brother, her parents and...HOLY SH*T! THERE'S TWO OF HER!" He shouted, bounding to his feet. Mei giggled.
"Yes, brother. Heidi has a twin. Hilde, Heidi's twin, is the one you saw this morning. She's also the one who made the truce with you all those years ago." Meilei stated, her eyes lowered. Kojii collapsed onto the chair in shock.
"Excuse me?"
Mei sighed and began her story of how Heidi had begged Hilde to imposture her, and told him the tale, all the way through to the end. But by the end, Kojii was looking stony again and his eyes had grown colder than ever. Mei saw this and sighed once again.
"Kojii, don't you see? Hilde asked me to tell you when the right time came. She truly didn't want to hurt you, and it nearly killed her to do so."
"Then why didn't she tell me?" He snapped. Mei glared.
"She promised her sister! And besides that, she knew you would be mad at her, and she couldn't stand that. Hilde's the kind of person who hates to have people mad at her, and does everything she can to ease their pain. In your case, she pushed you away, even though it nearly *killed* her to do it, so you wouldn't get hurt by Heidi." Mei spat. Kojii looked at her in shock, and opened his mouth to argue.
"Don't you dare! You know you would have gotten mad, admit it. Then you would have said hateful things to her that would have made her cry and...oh, Kojii! It would have hurt you even worse, too. I know what happened between you, because Akane, Hilde's friend, told me. You loved her then. You love her now, don't you?" Meilei asked. Kojii growled and stood up.
"I have to go." He snapped, walking to the door. Mei got up as well, and watched him leave.
"You can't run away from this forever, Kojii." She informed him dryly. Kojii's back stiffened even more than before.
"But I can try." He muttered, slamming the door behind him without a backward glance. Mei simply smirked.
"No you can't."
You see, Hilde had taken a job in Hong Kong, tutoring a group of five young children.
Those five children happened to be the sons and daughters of Kojii's and Meilei's aunts, the famous Li sisters...and they lived at the Li home.
The same Li home that Kojii called 'his' home.
~*~*~*~
"Hill, there's something you need to know." Meilei whispered that night, after Akane had gone to bed. The two girls were sitting out on the huge white deck, drinking hot-cocoa and talking about the past few years.
"What?" Hilde asked softly. From Meilei's expression, it couldn't be good.
"You know that the leader of Hong Kong has a lot of responsibility. And with that comes the instructions of the Elders." Meilei stated. Hilde nodded.
"Well, the Elders believe in...arranged marriages. They tried to arrange a marriage for my father, to Aunt Meiling, but that failed, obviously. And now..."
"I think I understand. They have arranged a marriage for your...brother." Hilde finished for her, choking on the last word. Meilei sighed.
"Yes. I know that he hates the idea, but he has agreed anyway. But his fiancee is...UGH! Hilde, she's a witch! Her name is Shayla Roderick, and her father is some big multi-millionaire. She pushes herself on my brother whenever she can, and she tries to seduce him at every turn. Luckily, she has been thus-far unsuccessful." Meilei announced.
"Why are you telling me this?" Hilde asked, her voice near to a whisper. She was glad it was dark, so Meilei couldn't see the tears trailing down her cheeks.
"When you go there tomorrow, I want you to beware of her. Stay as far away as you possibly can. And if you run into any of the elders, please be careful! They hate anyone who enters the Li grounds without their permission." Meilei warned. Hilde winced.
"Anything else I need to know?"
"One more thing. Um...my cousins are kind of...rowdy..."
"How so?"
"Well, they all have different personalities, but they like to...um...*test* their new teachers, to make sure that they are satisfactory. Just watch out for any stray pranks that may be played on you." Meilei informed her, grinning. Hilde paled slightly.
"Thank you so much."
~*~*~*~
"We finally found a new tutor for the children!" Siefa Tong (Li is her maiden-name), announced. Her mother, Yelan Li, looked up from her meal.
"Oh?" She asked, glancing down the table where several young people sat eating like little angels. But Yelan knew that all of her grandchildren, both school-age and no, were listening carefully.
"Yes! Meilei suggested her." Fanren interrupted, glancing down at her oldest daughter, Deluce. The small black-haired girl shot her a sly smile in return to her mother's warning glance.
"Who is it?" Yelan asked. Her four daughters wore mischievous looks on their faces.
"Her name is...Hilde Hiiragizawa." Fuutie announced. At this, Kojii choked on his food and Shayla, who was eating there that night, turned pale.
"Excuse me?" Kojii asked in a dangerous voice. The last sister, Feimei, nodded eagerly.
"Apparently, she is that darling Eriol Hiiragizawa's, daughter. Isn't it splendid? She is young, has had plenty of experience, and she's pretty on top of it. Meilei showed us her picture." Feimei announced. There were several snorts from down the table.
"We'll just see." Mumbled an older boy. Fuutie shot a deadly look at her oldest son.
"Chang, you will obey this woman. I will not have her running out of the house screaming, like your last teacher!" His mother snapped. The boy frowned and pouted in his chair.
"Mommy! I don't want a teacher." A little girl of about five, piped up.
"Yeah. We wanna play!" A boy of the same age announced. These were Siefa's twins, Akito and Ying-fa. Siefa shot them a glare.
"Well, you *will* have a teacher, and you *will* be polite to her, do I make myself clear?" She asked in a sharp voice. She not only eyed the children, but also Kojii as well. Kojii growled and got up, leaving the room without a look back.
"What's the matter with him?" Fuutie asked. Yelan looked after her grandson, suspiciously.
Was it just her, or had that been a flash of sadness that had crossed his eyes as he left the table?
~*~*~*~