Chapter Six: Over at Yume's House

Rapping his fist on the door, Duo stepped back and looked around him. This was a nicer apartment complex where Yume lived, larger too.

"Come in!" came the shout from within.

Duo turned the doorknob and left his shoes at the door. There was a TV on in the living room and Duo could smell bacon.

"Yume?" Duo called, looking around but seeing no one.

"She's not here." Gin's cheerful voice answered from the kitchen. Why is Gin here? Duo wondered. "Yume-chan will be home from work in a little while and she told me to tell you, that if you cause any trouble she'll throw you out the 2nd floor window." Gin came into the living room with a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich and plopped down onto a couch to watch TV.

"Yume works?" Duo suddenly remembered that Yume was a couple years older than him.

"Oh Yume-chan! You work so hard to take care of me even when you found me on the streets!" Duo didn't know if she was exaggerating or being truthful.

The front door opened and slammed shut.

"Welcome home, Yume-chan!" Gin cheered after swallowing a bite of her sandwich.

Yume seemed a little worn out and set down most of her things at the door. "Gin, you need to study for your quiz tomorrow. Then you need to go straight to bed." Yume turned off the TV and shooed Gin into her room.

"Yes ma'am." Gin grumbled and shut the door to her room.

Re-entering the living room, Yume sighed and sat down.

"I should give you more credit with the way you live." Duo smirked.

"Just because it's been a long day doesn't mean I'm too tired to toss you out the window." Yume replied smugly.

Glancing around, Duo turned back to Yume. "Can I ask why Gin lives with you?"

"Long story really." Yume closed her eyes briefly. "So what are we to write about?"

"Uh…" Duo began.

"Ah hah! I've found you once again you damned rat!" Kyou Sohma shouted from Yume's balcony.

"Not again…" Duo grumbled.

"Fight me, Rat!" Kyou yelled.

"Get out of my house!" Yume roared.

"Who the hell are you?" Kyou asked while standing on the railing of the balcony, which was linked to the living room.

"I should be asking you that." Yume sneered.

"I'm Kyou Sohma." Kyou stated simply.

Yume walked over to Kyou. "Nice to meet you." Then she pushed him off the balcony.

SPLAT!

"Ow… my hip…" Kyou groaned.

"What's all this noise?" Gin had come out of her room and was rubbing her eyes.

"Nothing." Yume made her tone gentler. "It's getting late. Duo, we'll work on this later. Gin, time for bed."

Duo stood and started for the door. Looking back, Duo didn't see Gin hugging Yume, but a mother and child embracing.

"G'night." Gin returned to her room.

Yume smiled and turned back to Duo. "Get out already!"

Whoa, talk about mood change. "Alright! Alright!" Duo ran out and when he stood on the lamp lit street, he sighed. Come to think of it, he had no one that cared about him that much. He suddenly felt very alone. Leaning against a concrete wall, Duo felt envious of Gin and Yume. Sighing again, Duo headed home.

In the shadows of an alleyway, Hatori and Shigure watched Duo.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about all this… Akito has been even creepier than usual." Shigure noted.

"Akito's word is law." Hatori reminded. "Besides… anyone who gets involved with the Sohmas ends up in tragedy."

"Yeah…" Shigure trailed off.

TO BE CONTINUED

Time for bios of original characters so far!

Yume Midori

Sign: rooster

Age: 19

Year in school: 11th

Crush: Hatsuharu

"I'm not stupid, just don't have much time to study"

Gin Akigawa

Sign: snake

Age: 11

Year in school: 6th

Crush: Yume

"Yume-chan! I owe everything to you…"