(Chapter 5: Syukehara Yumi)
The next morning, when Kira stepped down the steps of her house, she was surprised to look up and find Rukawa outside of her gate on his bike in his school uniform, patiently waiting for her.
"Good morning, Rukawa." She greeted, tying the white ribbon in her hair. He nodded a greeting without a smile before gesturing with his chin to the back of his bike.
"Get on. I'll take us to school."
Obediantly, Kira got on the back of the bike and they set off for school. Since that day on, it became a routine. Every morning before school, Rukawa would be down at the basketball court practicing basketball while Kira sat in her piano room, surrounded by her music. After practice, he'd come back, shower, and meet her in front of her house. In the afternoon, they'd meet in front of the school.
On their way however, they passed many of their fellow students, and before they arrived school, the news that Rukiko Kira was going to arrive with Rukawa Kaede had already passed throughout the whole high school. Teachers whispered, girls gossiped, boys scandalized, while all but one from both genders looked upon them with envious eyes as they arrived and left school every day together.
That one was Syukehara Yumi, a flowing redhead with a loud voice and a bold attitude to match. She had decided all the gossip was childish and that Kira did nothing to deserve the manners treated her with. Yumi was flirty, she was daring, and some even considered her loose, but out of everything she was and wasn't, Yumi wasn't a hypocrite and she hated hypocrites with a passion. Therefore, leaving the jealous groups of girls behind her, she, Syukehara Yumi, was going to befriend Rukiko Kira.
Dramatically in class one day, Yumi picked up her book and walked over to the desk beside Kira. Setting them down, she announced loud enough for everyone in class to hear.
"I'm Syukehara Yumiko, but you can call me Yumi." She gave her shoulder-length blazing red hair a toss and popper her gum. "What's your name?"
Kira looked up from her work, puzzled, but replied warmly, "I'm Rukiko Kira, nice to meet you." She gave Yumi a sweet smile that won Yumi's heart immediately. The chivalrous redhead instantly decided she like the quiet, talented, "sissy girl," as her and her group of intrepid friends called not unkindly her behind her back.
Playing with her huge loop earring and leaning over in her low-cut skin-tight shirt, she asked in a lower voice, "Wanna join me and the gang for lunch today? I want to introduce you to them."
At lunch, Kira learned that Yumi's friends were almost just like her. Loud, bold, and coquettish. As she sat at the lunch table with them, various guys walked by and yelled toward the attractive flock of peacocks.
"Hey, Yumi, when are you going to go out with me?" Yelled one guy from the group that strolled past them.
"I dunno!" Yumi flirted. "I'll let you know."
Kira's face heated as she ducked her head from the immodest answer. Yumi's eyes caught her blush and she leaned, down, demanding, "What are you blushing about? That's the way to communicate with guys. And speaking of guys…" Her husky voice lowered. "What's with you and Rukawa Kaede? The whole school is talking about it."
Kira's face was deep crimson as she murmured, "There's nothing between us. We just live right next door to each other and have grown fond of each other. That's it. He's very kind to take me to school every morning." Yumi's eyes gleamed.
"I wouldn't call that kind, Kira. I think he's doing that for a purpose."
"No!" The ebony head jerked up and protested with so much surprise and indignation that Yumi was ashamed of herself, but couldn't help prompting. "There is no other purpose. Besides…I'll never feel for him that way anyway."
"Why?!"
"W-we're fond of each other that's all!" Kira faltered as she couldn't find any words in her defense. Yumi smirked.
"Fond." She nodded. "Fond. Okay. Just fondness?"
"Just fondness." Kira insisted, nodded vigorously.
"Alright." And the redhead went back to sipping her milk.
Through their differences, Kira and Yumi became the best of friends and slowly, Kira was accepted by the majority of the girls in Shohoku High School, thanks to Yumi.
But the mysterious air about Rukiko Kira never disappeared in Rukawa's mind. She was more of an enigma than ever. One dawn, he woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. Wondering out onto his luxurious patio, he had stopped at the soft, gentle sound of music from next door.
Leaning against the railing, he saw his mystery sitting in front of her baby grand piano, playing in the glass surrounded round room. Shielding himself slightly behind the terrace roses, he listened, absolutely enchanted by the beauty and grace of her music. Kira never knew. She played piece by piece, each one more lovely and emotional than the last. Until in the middle of one extraordinarily touching piece, she had broken down and wept bitterly.
And by himself, Rukawa would wonder about the mysterious past of the young woman that had seemed so gentle and sweet spirited when around him, yet burned with an inner fire of courage and determination.