This is important for the plot, but doesn't really have a place in any of the chapters.
Disclaimer: I don't own Angelic Layer.
The Next Generation
By Keledrena
Interlude
Hikari picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Hikari," chirped Aya. "Ichigo, Nagisa and I are going to the movies this afternoon. Would you like to come?"
"I'm sorry, I'm busy this afternoon. But if you want, you guys can come on Friday to spend the night," said Hikari.
"Hold on, I have to ask my mother." There was a pause. "Okay! I'll ask the other girls today."
"See you in school tomorrow then," said Hikari. "Bye."
"Bye Bye!" said Aya.
Hikari put down the phone and laughed. Aya was so cheerful and outgoing, she reminded Hikari of Ringo.
Speaking of Ringo, Hikari looked at the clock.
"I'm late!"
She grabbed her purse and Yukiko and ran out the door.
She dashed back to get her keys and ran out again.
-
The doorbell rang and Hiromi rushed to get it.
"Hi! You must be Ka-chan's friends," he said, letting them in. "I'm Hiromi, but everyone calls me Hiro."
"Hi, I'm Nagisa, and this is Aya and Ichigo," said Nagisa brightly. "You're so cute!"
It was Friday night. Kenji and Akane were spending the night at friends' houses, and Aya, Ichigo and Nagisa had come over for a sleepover.
Oujirou came in. "Hello," he said pleasantly, as Hiro dashed upstairs yelling, "Ka-chan! Your friends are here!"
The girls started. Oujirou had been known as one of the most handsome and charismatic men of his generation, and age had only added more wisdom.
"Hello," said Ichigo. "You must be Hikari's father. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mihara."
"You can call me Jirou," said Oujirou.
Footsteps were heard as Hikari came downstairs.
"Hi!" she said. "Come on, I'll show you my room. You can leave your things there."
She and the girls went upstairs. "We'll come back down for dinner in a few minutes, dad."
-
Hikari leaned over the edge of the school roof and looked down at all the buildings. It was lunchtime, but she didn't feel like eating. School was nice, and Aya was a very good friend. But Aya and Nagisa had a tendancy of chattering nonstop, and Hikari wanted to some peace and quiet to think about her life since she moved here. She had inherited her quiet, brooding nature from Oujirou, along with her shyer side from Misaki.
Suddenly, she heard the roof door squeak as it swung open.
Hikari spun around in surprise. There in the doorway stood Yuu.
"What are you doing up here?" popped out.
He raised an eyebrow. "I should be asking you. This has been my place since the start of the year." He moved toward the edge and glanced down at the street below. "No one comes remembers this particular stairway anymore. But if you don't tell anyone else, you can come here once in a while."
"Thank you. I found this place when I took a wrong turn on my second day," Hikari offered tentatively. 'He's acting more like the Yuu I remember.'
He simply said, "Oh."
There was a silence.
"You're very intriguing," Yuu said suddenly. "You remind me of some one I use to know, and yet you seem some different."
"Did you know that person well?" Hikari asked.
"Yes, she- she was my best friend."
Hikari didn't say anything.
"She was very smart, like you. But she was a tomboy. She loved to play in the dirt and run around." He grinned, a real smile for the first time in months. "And she loved Angelic Layer. So much that that was all she talked about when we played together. I actually was annoyed at her for thinking about it so much. I told her that it was just a game."
"And?"
"I left on a tour with my mother. By the time I came back, she and her family had moved. I haven't seen or heard from her since, except for the occasional Christmas card from her family."
Hikari bit her lip. "What was her name?"
"Mihara Kari."
Hikari was silent and Yuu mistook it for awe.
"Yeah, she's Kari-chan, the Royal Prodigy. And you're right, I'm not that much of a friend of hers, if I haven't seen or heard from her for so long.
"But you know what? It's because of her that I became so good at Angelic Layer, because her love for it made such a big impression on me. After her disappearance from the Angelic World, I promised myself that I'll be the best, and show her " With this, Yuu stood up and walked toward the door.
He paused. "You might want to hurry up. Lunch is almost over." With a ghost of his mocking smirk, he left.
Leaving Hikari staring after him.
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