Loud music and Home shopping
UmbrellasAnPoptarts
Chapter Four
Something harder than before
The young Japanese man sat with surprising patience in the open lobby of the spaceport, waiting for his delayed flight to leave. He settled back and let his stiff shoulders rest against the back of the uniform chair. Looking around him he observed people walking through another boarding gate. He watched with sudden interest as one of the women standing at the gate broke down and fell to her knees, long black hair spread out around her on the floor.
There was something odd, he decided, about the way tears flowed from her eyes, as though they were desperate to meet the oxygen outside. She sat there for several moments all alone on her knees, small hands shakily covering her eyes. The man that she had been walking with hadn't turned around when she lost her cool. He'd simply handed the man at the counter his ticket and strolled through the portal, not even a backwards glance was sparred for the girl. Oblivious as anything, or the man had just wanted to seem oblivious to the woman's emotional peril. It seemed as though he didn't care a bit that she'd broken into loud sobs at, what one would guess, his hasty departure.
Something pulled at Heeros surprisingly tender heartstrings at that scene. Once what he could figure was five minutes had passed and the girl still held her spot on the ground, he stood slowly with supreme cautiousness. There was something about her sadness that seemed to make him want to help her. Perhaps it was the fact that her grief some how oddly seemed twin to his. She quieted when he approached her and she looked up hesitantly when he stood over her. He imagined he must look quite intimidating like that, looming over her so darkly.
He was shocked when she put on a small smile but he quickly saw through it. Putting out a hand, he asked quietly, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said softly, taking his offered hand and letting herself be pulled up. "Me and my tears, we're going to get married one day, I swear," her voice seemed to plead for him to understand, to sympathize. And something in him wanted badly to comply.
"Who was that man?" he found himself asking. He realized just then how very badly he'd missed having someone to talk to.
"Oh, just a friend." She wiped her bright green eyes harshly and mopped her nose with a simple white piece of cloth she'd produced from the white handbag she carried.
"Really?" He arched a brow in disbelief to show he wasn't buying it. She seemed such a nice girl, he actually wanted to know her story. Perhaps some of Duo's curiosity had rubbed off on him over those long years.
The girl surveyed him with bright eyes, deciding whether or not to share so much with a total stranger. At the end of her long countance of him she let out a short chuckle, "No. I love that man. But I work for the preventors, I have a new mission that I'm going to be away for while on. He doesn't like the fact I'm gone so much, I guess it pissed him off a bit to much this time. He said when I was finished doing my stupid job to find him."
Her situation reminded him enough of his own that he let out a small smile of irony before trying to turn it into a comforting one. "I'm sure you'll get back to him," he hoped that was comforting enough, he was a bit uneducated on what to do in the particular situation. Then he caught all of what she said and replied, "I'm on a preventors mission also miss."
"Oh really?" She looked extremely delighted at the thought and smiled. "I'm Raine. Raine Collier. And which one would you be?"
Which one would I be? Which one what? Choosing to ignore the 'which one' remark he said in his normal monotone voice, "Heero Yuy."
"Ah! Ex pilot of Wing Zero!" she exclaimed joyfully before saying just as brightly, "Pleased to meet you!" She seemed to be totally over the earlier occurrence with her boyfriend.
"Pleased to meet you also." He had thought people had forgotten about him and he was distressed to see that was an untrue remark. Running a hand through his ruffled hair he wondered what he was supposed to say at this point. Unsure and uneasy he was extremely grateful when a voice came over the loud speaker, "Flight 008 is no longer delayed, all passengers please proceed to the third boarding gate immediately."
"Well Heero, that'd be us." she said brightly, a large welcoming smile on her pretty face. She seemed much more concerned in making him happy than being cheered up.
He nodded dully and retrieved his backpack from where he'd left it in his former chair. After showing their tickets to an overly happy man at the counter whose smile was almost sickening, they strolled onto the plane. Again he was unsure of what to say when they took their seats, he did the only thing he could think of, he pulled out his laptop. He felt as though he was shutting her out in some way, but she didn't seem to mind, she simply focused on the movie showing on the screen in front of her. The flight seemed to go by in merely an instant, he couldn't believe he'd spent all that time on work and only finished a few jobs. Chalking it up to distraction and his wandering mind, he shut off his much loved machinery and packed it carefully away in that plain blue colored backpack of his.
The girl named Raine smiled brightly at him again and he felt something in his heart soften. When that girl smiled, it just lit up the room, made him feel as though everything in the world was going to be just fine. Her happiness was extremely infectious, he had to admit. He let himself smile back stiffly and followed her off the plane with a little less anxiousness than when he'd strolled on it.
"So, do you wanna take a cab to the office together?" she said in a voice that even sounded like she was smiling. What a charming girl, he thought with a slight, unexpected twitch of his lips.
"That'd be nice, I don't know where it is." He shrugged into the straps of his backpack and looked down at his feet, not knowing what else to do. She seemed so happy and bubbly all the time, it didn't feel comfortable to be in his normal silence around her.
"What a nice coincidence then! If we can just find a cab in this god-forsaken city..." she muttered in a relatively dark voice, a pout forming on her cute face as bright yellow cabs streamed by, ignoring her outstretched arm. That pout seemed to suit her and softened her intended dark voice to little more than a pretty women's comment.
At this last thought he studied her offered profile. It was slightly exotic and somehow plain at the very same time. Her open eyes were a bright invigorating shade of emerald green. The lashes that surrounded them were dark brown or black, he had yet to figure out the exact shade of her hair.
His eyes skimmed down the short forehead and small, pert nose that evened out into full pink lips, ending in a delicate chin. Her face was very beautiful, so beautiful he wondered why it didn't appeal to him in the least. The young Japanese man could easily admit she was nice to look at... he would just rather look at someone else. A particular someone, but somebody non the less.
Turning from both the girl and his musings, he raised his arm, a dark, unpleased look settling on his otherwise emotion wiped face. That same look was the one that always seemed to make cabs come in instant on L1. True to the record, not a moment later a bright yellow sedan pulled to a stop next to the couple. She looked at him with a strange, 'wow, you're a wonder' face and shook her head, opening the offered back door and sliding in. Following her lead, he shut the door and waited for her to direct the man to their destination.
"We'd like to go to the Phoenix Building on 42nd street please." She sat back after that and flashed Heero a blinding smile, yet another of her happy looks.
"Are you always this happy?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Are you always this silent?" she tore her eyes away from the world spinning around outside to pin him with a bright, inquisitive stare.
He shrugged simply in reply and turned his attention to the city scape that was soaring above them. She couldn't decide if he hadn't answered because he didn't know the answer, or because he just didn't feel like it. A slight pout formed on her face, as it had many times that day, as she mused over the complicated man that sat beside her. What a mystery he was with all his silence and dark looks. Raine couldn't help but wonder what was locked away under all that. There wasn't a spot in her mind that didn't try to imagine what was hidden so desperately. He was just such a paradox, it attracted her like a strong huge magnet.
Studying him should be an art form, she thought. Or perhaps a class of some kind. There was certainly much more to him than he showed to the average, everyday person. And I, she thought sadly, am just an average, everyday person to this lonely soul... I really wish I knew what he was like when he didn't look so... so heartbreakingly sad all the time. What kind of secrets are causing this? How many scares has the war left on him? God, how painfully lost he looks...
He carefully watched and noted the change in his companions face. The emotions she showed so openly on her face changed every second, never stayed the same for more than a blink of the eye. She looked like she was in such deep thought she wouldn't notice the world falling apart around her. But then again, so must he a lot of the time. True as that was, he knew there was something wrong with her, she was definitely nothing like him.
A dark, thoughtful frown creased his own face, mirroring the one she wore. Opening his mouth to make some kind of comment he quickly shut it, deciding nothing good could come from his nosing around. He wasn't even good at it for Christ's sake, he could offer no advice that wasn't completely lame or totally overused. And so he settled with looking back out the window, figuring if she really wanted to talk about whatever it was that was bothering her, she could certainly find someone better than him.
"I really want an answer Heero."
The ex pilot turned to find her giving him the same look of thought and consideration as he'd been giving her only seconds ago. She definitely was a very determined person, he decided. His decision held true when she repeated, "Well, are you always so very silent?"
He gave a small, curt nod, finding that a real answer was not necessary. Just because she found the need to ask him questions didn't mean he felt the same need to say so much in return. Perhaps this was why he liked to be home alone sometimes. No nosy people to go around digging up unwanted remains of past wounds. His silence was his trademark. His brand. Few people over the years had come to see him in a conversation and he liked it that way. It was his personality, his way he guessed...
"Why?"
The second follow up question surprised him even more than the first and required more brain. "I just... am." It was the simplest and yet most thoughtful thing he'd ever said. Several moments went into considering a correct answer and yet none were found. There were certainly other things he could've said, but nothing that would've added up at all. He just... was. There was nothing outlandish about it. Weren't people allowed to be quiet anymore? Was there some kind of rule against it? Really, was it so horrible that his personality called for peace and quiet or destruction and mayhem? He, for one, preferred to have peace and quiet to the latter.
A lush set of lips turned downwards in slight displeasure at his answer but by the time she'd opened her mouth to ask yet another question the car had stopped promptly in front of their building. The cabbie turned around, large cigar hanging out of his toothless face. "That'd be ah... eleven credits if you will."
Heero placed the money in the pleased mans hand, not caring about the change, and jumped out of his seat, pulling his backpack along with him. He wondered if this mission was really a curse in disguise, much like he was finding this woman to be. She was sweet and sugar coated on the outside but the inside was annoyingly curious and observant. He didn't like observant people who loudly verbalized their findings. He especially hated people who thought they would simply die if they didn't figure out his whole psyche. She was generally a sweet, regular old pain in the ass.
Once he'd shaken his head more than once he was through the swivel doors and across the marble flooring. The woman sitting pertly at the large main desk opened her mouth to speak with him but once she'd done a double take she thought better. Heero Yuy was well known by face and name. She may have never seen him since they'd moved their office to New York but she remembered seeing him on a few occasions in the past. Remembering the looks he gave to those who stood in his way caused a large lump in her throat to be forcefully swallowed.
A few long strides landed him at the elevators were he searched over a directory until he found Une's floor. By the time his elevator made it to the lobby floor, Raine was standing beside him silently with a brooding stare focused straight ahead of her. The interior of the elevator was painted gold and that was the only thing she saw on the way up. Thinking she'd angered him in some way, she opted to keep her privacy-invading mouth shut this time. She leaned back against the wall, feet placed firmly on the floor.
He, on the other hand, stood in the middle of the moving room with ease and carelessness. Once they had landed on the designated floor, both people exited silently and walked down the hallway to where a single secretary's desk stood. Said woman was aging blond with hair pulled back tightly in a severe bun. Her brown eyes were adorned with small spectacles rests at the end of her small pert nose and looped with a colorful chain from one earpiece around to the other.
At the sound of them approaching, she looked up over her glass and surveyed them intensely. After harsh scrutiny, she deduced they passed inspection. "Can I be of help?" she asked in a surprisingly strong voice. One would have expected a frail weak voice to come from an old woman like her but it was instead a wise and all knowing one.
"I... We are here to see Lady Une. I am Raine Collier." she said brightly, her purse clasped with both small hands in front of her.
"Heero Yuy." he grunted carelessly while giving the room a good one over. It was a matter of seconds before he had every way of entering or exiting the room. A second more and he had good places to hide and steps between furniture mapped out. He supposed that when a young lady had once compared his mind to a super computer he should have been more flattered, since she was so very correct.
"Ah, she is expecting you. She is in lunch right now, you can wait in her office," the woman paused as she looked over the time slot on her appointment list and looked up again, "And Mr. Yuy, Ms. Peacecraft will be joining you today. I believe she left a message for you to the effect of, 'I'm so glad to be spending quality time with you.'"
The ex-pilot gave a sharp nod of courtesy to the woman before he let his upper lip curl in distaste. He wasn't prepared to deal with her yet. Thoroughly agitated about having to be kept waiting and annoyed at the fact the former queen would be paying an unexpected visit, he strolled in the room behind Raine. It was a ornately decorated room with its dark stained woods and oversized furniture. It held a library appeal to him and he guessed that was due in part to the full book shelves that were built into the architecture of three walls. He glanced over to find Raine staring blankly at the rug beside him.
He watched her glazed eyes stare at their special spot on the rug for several minutes before he sighed. It wasn't as hard as he thought to ask, "Are you ok?"
A look of surprise flashed across the black haired girls face before she shrugged slightly, "It's not your problem, I just met you."
Another shrug was emitted from him before she asked curiously, "Do you hate Ms. Relena very much?"
"You are observant." he said tartly before looking her coldly in the eyes.
"I have heard she is a total pain in the ass when it comes to you," she said with a face that mirrored one of a child who'd eaten something distasteful, "I wish I could fix your problem."
"She's under the impression that I will marry her one day." he grumbled in dark reply. Why she thought that, he would never come to know. Her mind worked in such strange ways, she seemed extremely complicated but he was beginning to think that perhaps she was so very simple that she only seemed complicated. Or perhaps she was just totally oblivious to his blunt and obvious dislike of her. He was always civil towards her, but the only time he really acted nice nice was when there was a job involved. If he didn't admire her ideals so much he'd probably have told her to fuck off already.
The mere thought of telling her such a thing sent a slight smirk spreading across his face. It really was a good scene he had going in his head. It was interrupted with, "Dumb broad?"
Surprise lingered long on his face before he replyed, "Haven't you met her?" Never had he heard any person say anything derogatory about Relena. Ever. It was like people were afraid that if they said anything bad that a grim reaper, disguised as a harmless fluffy squirrel would jump out of the trees and attack them viciously until they were sent to the bowels of hell. It was sad.
"Yes, I have. I thought she acted charming but I think she just puts that up for show," she contemplated Relena for a moment more before continuing, "I also think that she wants you so she can kart you around like a trophy of war. You'd make the perfect couple in her eyes I think."
"Do you think that?" he asked grimly, she seemed to get supreme enjoyment out of that comment.
But he was wrong. He could see that as those dark brows of her swooped down on her green eyes in disgust, "No, no and definitely not. You are my friend I would never set you up with a controlling woman such as that."
He raised a brow at the friend part but let it roll over, deciding not to spoil the nice mood they had going for them. "Really? When she gets here, she won't stop staring at me.." he grumbled angrily, a deep rumbling sound that was much like a quiet murmur.
"True, she-"
Raines eyes snapped to the door as she heard the doorknob being turned. Looking quickly back at Heeros face she saw a mixture of emotion: annoyance, foreboding, agony, anger, agitation, and a sense of frantic longing to be somewhere, anywhere else like she'd never experienced seeing on anyone's face before. And with seeing that face of his, she did the only thing possible in such situations, she used the first stupid idea that came to her mind. Strange and unexpected as it may be, she placed her hands firmly on his thighs, closed her eyes and pressed her lips flush against his.
He stiffened against her but he was much to stunned to push her away. That was quiet possibly the weirdest and most clever solution that had ever been thought of so quickly in his opinion. Relena Darlian-Peacecraft would not be pleased to stroll in and find her wish-he-was fiancé in lip lock with another female. It certainly didn't help that said female was beautiful and had met the former queen. It all added up to a nice clean break away in his mind. Ms. Peacecraft would not like that at all, not one bit...
And he was dead on, she didn't at all. She had opened the door cheerfully, expecting to see her Heero sitting there, waiting patiently for her gallant arrival. Instead she found him with his lips against another girl, which was quiet certainly not she. This scenario was not one of the ones she had imagined in her mind for her first time seeing the ex pilot in so long. She had expected it so little that she was to shocked to even move from her spot in the door way. Her thin, well-manicured hand still gripped the doorknob harshly as she watched the girls lips move against her Heeros mouth.
If someone had offered a humongous, outrageous amount of money to her at that moment to shut her jaw, she wouldn't have been able to. She was frozen to her place, her feet rooted to the floor. Blood ebbed boldly at her temples and she could do little more than to watch the scene play out in front of her. Her voice has deserted her in a time when she needed it most. Not a sound came from said voice box when she commanded it to. She seemed the only one frozen in time in a whirl wind of emotion. I wonder what Heero's... best friend... knows about this... That little brat didn't tell me he had a girlfriend...
That same brat was staring over her shoulder with as much surprise as the blond had. Yet, there was much more blood beating dully through his shattered heart than there was through his head. Duo Maxwell had come here expecting to surprise his long lost love and say he loved him, wanted him back and blah blah blah, happy ending, everybody goes home with smiles and laughter, happily ever fucking after... But of course he should've known that things never really happened that way. Once Une had told him that they were going to bring his good old pal Heero in on a mission he had readily agreed, deciding it would be a good way to meet back up again and convince Heero to love him.
But all his plans were set horribly a rye as some chick kissed him most thoroughly. Did Heero... love her? Was this his new girlfriend? Was that why Heero had seemingly forgotten about him? This girl, was she the reason why his heart was falling out of his chest right now?
i'll be the grapes fermented, bottled and
served with the table set in my finest suit
like a perfect gentleman
i'll be the fire escape that's bolted to the
ancient brick where you will sit and
contemplate you day
His poor heart felt as though it had been ripped from its comfortable place in his chest, thrown against the wall like a lacrosse ball in harsh after-school practice and shredded to pieces with a butcher knife. In other words, it hurt like a bitch. There were simply no words to describe the supreme and utter disappointment, sadness and loneliness that flowed through every part of his being. He was sure Heero wasn't rubbing it in his face, he didn't even know Duo'd be showing up... But the braided mechanic couldn't help but feel that way anyway.
i'll be the waterwings that save you if you
start drowning in an open tab when your
judgment's on the brink
i'll be the phonograph that plays your favorite
albums back as your lying there drifting off
to sleep...
i'll be the platform shoes and undo what
heredity's done to you: you won't have to
strain to look into my eyes
i'll be your winter coat buttoned and zipped
straight to the throat with the collar up so
you won't catch cold
Violet-Indigo eyes slipped shut, wanted to erase that scene from his ever lasting memory. He never wanted to see it again, it only reminded him over and over again of how stupid he was for making Heero go away. All the more stupid he felt for waiting so long to try and get him back... And even more dumb for feeling so heartbroken. He cleared his throat loudly and said in his deep, slightly growling voice he only used with extremely annoyed, "Would you like us to leave you two alone? I'm sure we could wait outside for a few moments until both of you are finished..."
i want to take you far from the cynics in this
town and kiss you on the mouth
we'll cut our bodies free from the tethers of
this scene, start a brand new colony
where everything will change, we'll give
ourselves new names (identities erased)
the sun will heat the ground under out bare
feet in this brand new colony
everything will change, ooo ooo....
A certain Japanese boys cobalt eyes snapped open in recognition of that voice. It wasn't Relenas as he'd expected to be saying those words, but an all to familiar one. Raine pulled away then, embarrassed that her ploy had not only succeeded in annoying Relena but also the other man.
And that was the moment, the moment he made eye contact with Duo for the first time in years that he realized that with the simple occurrence that had just happened, he'd royally fucked up all the plans he had to get Duo back. There was a lot of explaining to do, which was conveniently something he was extremely bad at. Oh joy, look what I've done now. Does it ever end? Does this sick merry-go-round ever stop? I'd really like to get off now. I'm tired of it already and it's making me want to puke.
Relena chose that time to unfreeze herself and clear her own throat with uniform authority. "Yes, uh, anyways..."
Heero raised a brow slightly at her and let his eyes do all the irritated, deathly hateful talking to her as she came into the room. He'd paid dearly for that little scene to fuck with her head and he wasn't about to let it all go to waste now that he'd sent Duo's good thoughts of him swirling down the crapper. He'd try and explain it to the American later, hopefully he would understand. It couldn't be expected of him, but Heero could hope.
"Hello Ms. Relena." Raine said in an overly bright and cheery voice, as though she had not just been kissing a certain sexy hacker that sat right next to her. She also chose that voice because she knew Relena would take it as though the kiss was a very normal thing between the two of them. The little demons inside did a little dance at her scheming. Relena Peacecraft seriously needed to be set in her place once and for all.
"Hello Ms. Collier." Relena tried the voice that Raine had used on for size but it came out with a biting edge and she had to admit, a little bitter. "Heero." she gave a curt nod to him and took a seat in one of the chairs near the large desk and promptly crossed her slim ankles. Damn whore...
Taking my Heero. God, I've been trying for years to get him to notice me in that fashion and they've... Well, they couldn't have been together that long, I was just talking to Wufei about him last month... Stupid sluts are always getting in the way of real true love, such as what Heero and I share. She looked pointedly at Heero for a second, studying his handsome and exotic features before becoming even more resolute than before. He's mine, just as he always was. She may think that he's hers for now, but I'll change all that. It's only a matter of time...
Raine watched with interest as Heeros eyes focused unwaveringly on the long haired individual as he made his way slowly across the room. Anxiousness and nervousness seemed to build up in her companion and she gave him a supportive smile to try and chase away what ever the reason for it was. After flashing him a smile, she to watched the man take a seat next to her, he was putting on a slight smirk that would have fooled anyone other than her. She'd put so many on herself, she noticed them. Fake smiles were something she could spot a mile away, and his was definitely one of them. What a supremely complicated group of people I have stumbled upon. It feels like long history of pain and tragedy is deeply ingrained in them. How sad, they are such beautiful people...
Duo stared into Heeros eyes for what felt like hours. He couldn't quiet figure out what his former Gundam comrade was trying to communicate to him, but what ever it was, it seemed dire and... extremely hard for him to express. God how he'd missed staring into those depthless blue eyes, he could simply drown in them forever. It was saddening to think that they belonged to the woman sitting next to him, instead of the braided menace himself. Heero had looked at the girl only once or twice since Duo had come in the room and he was beginning to feel some form of hope rise in his chest.
Maybe Heero would take him back, he had to try. There was time to play things out and see, "Long time no see, eh, Hee-chan?"
His eyes softened like warm butter at that nickname and Duo took notice of the change with utter enjoyment. Perhaps he was wrong, maybe he did have a chance with his beautiful pilot. The mechanic widened his smirk into a toothy grin at his old veteran buddy and crossed his arms behind his head for a rest.
"Yes, it's been a very long time..." Heero observed Duo some more before adding on very quietly,
"Much to long Du-chan..."
The American could feel his ears perk up at the nickname that Heero called him. He had never used it very lightly before. There was something very touching and soft in Heeros eyes that he'd never seen there. It was something he couldn't put a finger one and didn't get the chance to, by the time he got around to unsuctioning his pupils from drowning in Heeros, the expression was gone.
"Heero, who would this be?" Raine asked him the question pointedly, her voice very curious, as it usually was. A slight pout was in place on her pretty face, also as usual. He hadn't known her very long, but she really wasn't a hard person to get attached to.
He actually looked at her with some sort of Heero-affection, she was becoming something like a little sister or something to him. He wasn't sure how it had all come about but, though she was nosy and annoying, she was also very sweet. He had a very hidden soft spot for sweet girls. That small look also didn't go unnoticed by Duo, he opted to keep the smile firmly on his face though, even as his mind and heart went through a roller coaster of emotions, soaring hope and free falling doubt.
"Duo Maxwell, Raine Collier. Ms. Collier, Duo Maxwell." Relena interjected in a harshly formal voice. She didn't seem to like the play of emotions that were enfolding in front of her. She liked it even less because she wasn't part of it. Heero had never shown very much affection at all towards her and she'd had herself convinced it was because he didn't know how to feel anything yet. She had herself believing that the way he acted towards her was as open as he got, perhaps even nicer then he was to anyone else. But that impression went crashing down around her when she saw the way he was towards the other two people in the room.
It was painfully obvious he cared for the two of them very much. More obvious was his apparent lack of interest in her. Maybe he thinks that I'm to good for him... Maybe he thinks that I'll reject him. God knows around scum like that he'd feel good enough, probably better... What he needs is to be shown how much I love him, then he'll be able to express his feelings to me... I know they're there...
"Pleased to meet you Mr. Maxwell." Raine said with a large smile on her face while extending a hand.
She was so sweet he could've sworn he had a cavity coming in already. I'll end up needing a root canal if she'd this nice all the time... It's so cute... So cute it's almost sickening...
He took her hand in his and smiled welcomingly in return, giving it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you to, and just call me Duo."
"Duo?" she asked as she slowly withdrew her hand, "You have a nice name. Just call me Raine."
Duo returned his arm to behind his head after a short nod and surveyed the room with fake interest. Une had always had a nice office, this one wasn't very different than the last one. He just needed to keep his eyes from boring into Heeros all day. The room seemed to break into a dull silence after the Raine spoke her remark. The room seemed to be heavy with its silence and reminded him much of a tomb. Not a clock ticked, nor did a phone ring or people walk. It was just silent. All four seemed to have found a nice little spot on the floor for them to call their own and stare at intently.
It wasn't until Heeros computer started beeping did anyone shake themselves out of their trance. The Japanese man slid out his laptop and perched it carefully across his thighs. A look of bland surprise and intrigue crossed his exotic features as he flipped it open and scrolled down the message. A small, almost secret smile appeared on his usually sullen face as he finished reading and closed the notebook, returning it to its safe place in his bag next to his feet.
It seemed that perhaps it was very quiet now, but soon the room would be teeming with noise. He could predict with very great accuracy that these ornate book lined walls would resound with sounds. It was only a matter of time… Only a matter of time…
{{{Sorry that took so long everybody, I've just been very busy. I've been getting ready for exams and all that hoopla. It took some time for me to get this all wrapped up to the point where I wanted it to be. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon to make up for the lateness of this one. Speaking of this one, what's everybody think? My spells a bit better, no? I read over it this time, instead of slapping it up there. I'm proud. Anyways, I'm done dragging it on. Expect a new chapter soon, review if you're still interested in this. Thanks!}}}