Living in a Dream

Chapter 3

Author's jibberish: I like this chapter…hope you do too!

            "Heiko-sama, you shouldn't be out here!"

            "Kidai-san, please. You act as if I were running away."

            "I'm sorry, but…"

            "I know you are just doing your job. I was just stargazing."

            "Stargazing?"

            "Yes. You must have at least once sat on an empty hill and stare at the stars and all its glory?"

            "A thousand pardons, Heiko-sama, but it sounds like a child's game."

            "Then, I hope I never grow up. Did you know that if you see a shooting star and make a wish, it would come true? At least, that is what the child game says."

            "A wish come true, huh?"

            "He didn't show up?" Seira asked Meimi the next morning at school. They were sitting at Meimi's desk. Ryoko and Kyoko said their 'good morning's and left to 'compare answers.'

            Meimi twirled her pen between her index and middle finger. "No cops, no Asuka Jr. I even waited until 8 o'clock to return the ring. Then I went back but he never showed up. I was so worr--."

            They stopped talking as they both saw a sluggish Asuka Jr. walk in. He pulled himself, with his feet dragging on the floor, to his desk. He sat down and immediately flopped his head on the desk.

            "Meimi-chan…" Seira muttered as she watched her friend stand.

            Meimi headed to Asuka Jr.'s desk. "Ahem," she coughed. No response; Asuka Jr. was face down on the desk. "Asuka Jr., are you alright? You look like you got hit by a truck."

            Asuka Jr. slightly turned his head, side glancing at Meimi with a glassy-eyed stare. "Hei…ko-sama…"

            Heiko-sama? Meimi asked herself. She's never heard that name before. "No, Asuka Jr., it's me. What's the matter with you?"

            "Hey, Haneoka!" called Sawatari from across the room. He approached her with light feet. "Are you busy this afternoon," he said, taking her hand, "because I was thinking--."

            Asuka Jr. jumped to his feet and pulled Meimi's hand out of Sawatari's grip. Asuka Jr. stared at him with a glassy yet burning glare. "Don't you dare touch her!" he exclaimed.

            Then the room became dead silent and all eyes fell upon the three. Meimi's face and ears were flushed from embarrassment. Sawatari's mouth dropped to the floor in shock. Within a few seconds, Asuka Jr. blinked. His vision cleared, and then his eyes read confusion after realizing what just happened. He turned to Sawatari, then at Meimi.

            She snapped her hand away from Asuka Jr. "Wha..?"

            "I…I…" Asuka Jr. was at a loss for words.

            "Everyone, take your places," Sister Yoshida said as she opened the door. The students hurried to their seats to greet their teacher.

            Asuka Jr. stood behind his desk, his hands in tight fists; his knuckles were becoming white. What…happened?

            Meimi shook, a chill running down her spine. She sat in the quad area, with Seira. "You should have seen his eyes, Seira. They were…so blank. It's like…"

            "No one was paying attention to his eyes; just his outburst," Seira saw her friend turn 5 shades redder. "Is he jealous of you and Sawatari?"

            "Why? It's not like I'm going out with him!" Meimi said. "Still, nonetheless, Asuka Jr. is acting strange. Where is he now?"

            "I think he stayed in the class to sleep."

            "Not anymore…" Meimi's eyes were towards the school's roof. She and Seira watched a figure standing there, his head towards the sky. "We better go check on him." The two girls left and were soon on the roof in a few minutes. They slowed down as they saw Asuka reaching up to the sky.

            "The stars…" he said.

            "Stars?" Meimi muttered. "It's lunchtime."

            "Shooting stars," he said as he fell to his knees. "Must…make a wish." Asuka Jr. clasped his hands together and prayed out loud. "I wish for Heiko-sama and I to find happiness."

            Meimi took a step back. "Heiko-sama…that's the name…"

            Seira and Meimi saw Asuka Jr. fall over to his side. "Asuka Jr.!" they rushed to him. Meimi pulled him to sit upright. "Asuka Jr! Asuka Jr!"

            Within a few moments, he was awake. "What…what happened?"

            "I'll get the nurse," Seira said and turned.

            "No, don't!"
            "But, but—." Seira stammered.

            "I'm fine, Mimori," Asuka Jr. assured as he stood. He began to walk away but turned back to them. "Sorry to cause so much trouble," and he hurried away.

            "Something is amiss here, Meimi-chan," Seira said. "Meimi-chan?" she called.

            But Meimi remained sitting there, where Asuka Jr. left her. Asuka Jr…what's going on?

…to be continued -_-