She knew why her father was doing all this. She was his only daughter, so she understood his feelings. She just thought he went a bit too far.
Aiko watched as houses whizzed by. They all looked the same. The only differences were the colors of the houses and the things littering the lawn. Toys, lawn ornaments, rose bushes...perfectly normal things you'd find in someone's yard. The people were probably normal too. Either one or both of the parents worked, the children all attended school, maybe the children even played sports.
Until she had been attacked, Aiko thought she was one of those normal people. Someone who would grow up, go to college, get married and have kids. The whole nine yards. But now she wasn't so sure she'd be able to have a life like that. Especially with that psycho after her.
The police meant well. They were honestly trying to help. But what could they do? What could she have told them? She couldn't possibly tell them that a woman with supernatural powers had tried to kill her.
So she had covered things up as best she could. Erasing a few details here and there.
Aiko turned and gazed at her father. He was trying to protect her too. But there was nothing he could do. The powerful Mamoru Hinagata was powerless to protect his own daughter. But he didn't know it. Aiko thought she'd best leave him thinking that he could still protect her and turned to watch the scenery that rushed towards them.
She'd have to be the one protecting herself. She'd have to learn how to use her powers. The thought of doing so sent a thrilling sensation down her back. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but she had liked the feeling of all that power coursing through her body.
It crossed Aiko's mind that she could probably become a superhero. But after thinking about it, she realized that she didn't have the energy to go to school and then spend nights prowling for baddies.
"Okay, Aiko," Mamoru Hinagata broke through his daughter's thoughts. "We're coming up on your school. Now, do you remember the passcode for this week?"
"It's five-eight-three-seven." Aiko sighed. The passcode would change every week. She'd have trouble remembering each new code.
"Very good. Someone will be here to pick you up when you're finished." Mamoru pulled up a few feet from the school gates. "Wait near the gates until they arrive."
Aiko made a face. She had hoped to go Caffeine Rush with the girls this afternoon. Maybe she'd be able to convince whoever was picking her up to make a stop before taking her home.
"I will, daddy. I love you." Aiko leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. "Have a good day! Bye!"
Mamoru simply nodded as his daughter exited the vehicle. He watched as she walked towards the gates, then through them and into the school building. Satisfied, Mamoru began making his way towards his office.
Aiko strolled the halls of Jindai Houbi High. She had missed almost a week of school. If it hadn't been for Saiyuri, she'd be behind in everything.
Walking towards her class, Aiko began noticing that some people were staring at her. A few girls began whispering to each other furiously as she passed by. Aiko tried to ignore it. They had probably seen reports of what had happened to her on TV. She raised a hand to her throat. At least the bruises were gone...
"Aiko."
Nearly dropping the books she carried, Aiko spun around to see who had spoken her name.
"Oh, Yasuo." Aiko breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me."
"Sorry about that." Yasuo grinned. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling great." Aiko flashed him a smile. "Much better than last week."
"Yeah. You definitely look better." Yasuo noted that the bruises had faded away, and that she wasn't as silent as she had been at the hospital.
"Thanks." Suddenly feeling shy under Yasuo's close scrutiny, Aiko gazed down at her feet. "By the way...I never thanked you for rescuing me."
"No problem," Yasuo winked at Aiko. "Just let me know when you feel like falling into my arms again."
Aiko blushed furiously. She couldn't believe he'd just said that. And after she had just thanked him for something too! Not knowing what else to do, she clobbered Yasuo with her books and sent him sprawling to the floor.
"Oh my gosh!!!" Aiko blinked in shock then bent over to help him up. "I'm so sorry Yasuo!"
"Aiko Hinagata, I presume." A smooth voice interrupted Aiko's attempt to assist Yasuo. "They said you were a knockout, I didn't know they meant that literally."
Aiko cast a glance over her shoulder in the direction of the voice. Encountering a pair of legs dressed in the boy's uniform of her school, Aiko glanced further upward. She found herself staring into the face of someone she had never seen before. And what a beautiful face it was.
Forgetting about Yasuo, Aiko turned and smiled pleasantly.
"That's me! Who are you?" asked Aiko.
"Ichiro Taisen," came the reply. Ichiro bowed deeply and took Aiko's hand in his and kissed it. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Aiko blushed as Yasuo sprung to his feet.
"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing?" Yasuo asked furiously. His head still pounded from the blow he'd received from Aiko.
Ichiro turned slowly and faced Yasuo. His red hair danced in the light, and his green eyes showed the disinterest with which he regarded Yasuo.
"Introducing myself." Calmly, Ichiro reached out to brush the dirt off Yasuo's uniform. "As I've told this lovely lady, my name is Ichiro Taisen. Who might you be?"
"Yasuo Tachikawa," slapping Ichiro's hand away, Yasuo eyed him suspiciously. "Taisen? Your father wouldn't be Kazuma Taisen? The head of Taisen International?"
Ichiro rolled his eyes and looked bored.
"Yes," Ichiro sighed. "Father's business has been ailing, as of late. So rather than continuing to pay for my tuition at Jonen Academy, he sent me to this drab little place."
Turning to face Aiko, Ichiro flashed a dazzling smile.
"Although I must say, there is one thing here that makes this school worth my while." Reaching into his uniform jacket, Ichiro produced a single rose and presented it to Aiko.
"Why...thank you..." Aiko blushed as she took the rose and sniffed it daintily.
"Miss Aiko, would you do me the honor of showing me around?" Offering his right arm, Ichiro gestured with his left down the hall.
"Sure!" Aiko gripped Ichiro's arm lightly as they began walking down the hall.
Yasuo stood in the middle of the hallway and silently stewed. He had a bad feeling about this guy too. It wasn't up to the level of immediate danger he had felt around Ayane Hishi, though.
"Who's the new guy?"
Yasuo turned to see Saiyuri and Kaiya standing closely behind him, watching Aiko leave.
"Ichiro Taisen," replied Yasuo.
"No way, Ichiro Taisen?!?!?!" gasped Kaiya as Saiyuri's eyes widened in shock. "The only son of Kazuma Taisen?!?!?"
Yasuo merely nodded. He felt sick.
"Way to go, Aiko!" laughed Kaiya. Taking Saiyuri by the hand, she ran to catch up with Aiko. "Come on, Saiyuri, let's go meet the new guy."
"Bye Yasuo," called Sayuri over her shoulder as she was dragged away by Kaiya.
Yasuo stood there and watched them run off.
"Dumb girls," said Yasuo silently and turned to take a long walk.
"And this, is our Teacher's Lounge," gesturing to her right, Aiko indicated a green door with a narrow rectangular window. "Students aren't allowed in here, but no one would want to go in anway. It smells too much like cigarettes and coffee."
Ichiro laughed and lightly patted the hand that gripped his arm.
"Aiko, you have such a great sense of humor." Ichiro smiled warmly at her.
Aiko raised an eyebrow. She hadn't been trying to be funny, but she supposed this was how rich people behaved sometimes. She had heard somewhere that wealthy people were usually eccentric.
"Father is having a little soirèe tonight. Would you do me the honor of being my date?" Ichiro turned to grip Aiko by both her arms. "Please say yes."
"A date?" Aiko asked, slightly confused. "But we've just met, isn't this a little too soon?"
Ichiro laughed again.
"My dear Aiko, you've never been on a date, have you?" Seeing Aiko blush and stammer in response, Ichiro went on. "Think of this as a way for you and I to get to know each other better. It's not like we're getting married."
Ichiro's eyes danced as he gazed at Aiko.
"So...what do you say?" ventured Ichiro.
"I say...yes." Aiko smiled up at Ichiro. "I'd like to go with you."
"Splendid." Ichiro smiled impossibly brighter. "I shall pick you up at 6:30. Would that be alright?"
Aiko nodded. She was going on a date with Ichiro Taisen. Her first date would be with the son of one of the country's richest families.
A loud beeping sound echoed through the hall, bringing Aiko back to the present.
"Excuse me a moment," Ichiro reached into his pocket and took out a cell phone. "I'll only be a second."
Ichiro opened the door to a classroom and peeked in. Finding it deserted, he stepped inside. Unfolding his cell, Ichiro raised it to his ear.
"Yes?" "Ichiro." On the other end, Kazuma Taisen stubbed out a cigarette in a diamond ashtray. "How goes your first day of school?"
"It hasn't even started yet, Father." Ichiro rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you'd call back in a few hours I'll have a better answer for you."
"Don't start with me, young man. You know what I meant."
"I'm sorry." Ichiro sighed. "She's coming to your party tonight. She seemed rather excited about the prospect of attending."
"Good. Good." Kazuma smiled. "Remember what your mission is, Ichiro. Remember what she is."
"That's the part I don't understand. She just seems like a regular girl." Ichiro glanced around the little classroom. "How is she supposed to be this tennyo you keep speaking of?"
Kazuma sighed. Being so young, his son was constantly focused on outward appearances. He never really paid any attention to what was beneath the surface.
"Ichiro, appearances can be deceiving. She has powers. Powers that will help Taisen International become not only the top rated company in Japan, but in all other countries too." Kazuma reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "We need to be able to control that power. And there is only one way for women to be controlled. It is not only through material things, but through her heart. Take hold of her heart, and you take hold of her."
Ichiro sighed impatiently. His father loved to say things like that.
"I know. I know." Ichiro shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You want me to make her fall in love with me."
"Yes. Get her to fall in love with you and then you, my son, will be able to take this company to new heights." Kazuma's eyes glittered with the hopes and dreams he held for his son. For his company.
Ichiro rolled his eyes then hung up on his father. He knew what he was supposed to do, and he'd do it. He had left behind a number of conquests at Jonen Academy, so this wouldn't be very difficult. With a smug smile, he exited the deserted classroom.
Glancing up and down the hallway, he spotted Aiko chatting with three other girls. The blonde appeared to be a bit boyish in her mannerisms, and the brunette a complete opposite.
The third girl had her back to him, but Ichiro found himself most captivated by her. She had shiny, silky black hair. He found himself about to reach out and touch it, but then pulled back, remembering his manners and what he was here for.
"Ladies, I don't believe we've met." Smiling his most charming smile, Ichiro walked around the girls and put his hand on Aiko's shoulder. "Would you care to introduce us, Aiko?"
"Sure!" Aiko gestured to the blonde girl who stood with her arms crossed in front of her. "This is Kaiya Hashimoto."
"Hey." Kaiya waved and gave a friendly smile.
"Sayuri Tsukimi," Aiko pointed towards the brunette who smiled shyly held her books tighter against her, then the girl with the silky black hair. "And Ayane Hishi."
Ayane looked up and smiled half-heartedly at Ichiro.
"Girls, this is Ichiro Taisen." Aiko patted Ichiro's hand. "He's just transferred here from Jonen Academy."
"Wow," Kaiya said. "Ichiro Taisen? What made you decided to come here of all places?"
"I heard that this school had many beautiful girls." Ichiro took Kaiya's hand and kissed the back of it. "Looks like I heard right."
Kaiya blushed as she took her hand back.
Ichiro peeled Sayuri's left hand off of her math book and kissed the back of it. Sayuri turned a bright red, then shrank back against the wall.
Laughing, Ichiro turned to face Ayane. He found himself captivated by her dark brown eyes. They were the most amazing things he had ever seen. He reached out and took her right hand. It was soft and delicate. Her fingernails were perfectly manicured.
Now this was the kind of girl he wouldn't mind becoming one of his conquests.
"Very nice to meet all of you," Ichiro mumbled as he bent to kiss her hand.
Looking disgusted, Ayane pulled her hand out of his at the last minute. When Ichiro looked up at her questioningly, she simply rolled her eyes.
"Sorry," Ayane said. "But no one touches me unless I want them to."
Aiko and Sayuri winced slightly, while Kaiya burst out laughing.
"My mistake." Ichiro bowed reverently, then turned to the rest of the girls. "Ladies, I'm afraid I must leave you now. I must speak with the Principal. Thank you very much, Aiko, for showing me around."
Ichiro went over to Aiko and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"I'll see you tonight," he said loud enough for the other girls to hear, then walked away leaving a stunned silence behind him.
As he walked away, he heard the other two girls squeal excitedly and a rude noise escape from the third. Smiling to himself as he walked, Ichiro made plans for the conquest of Aiko and Ayane.
"Business before pleasure," he muttered as he made his way to the Principal's office.