By: Minuiko
Wow. Been a while since I've updated (And I'm only doing so now because it's Spring Break na no da. XD Well, here it is. The inspiration for this story in general, I guess, is from the songs by Simple Plan, especially Welcome to My Life xD. That suits Mitarai sooo well. The lyrics are, like, perfect.
Oh yeah, and I'm getting addicted to Hunter X Hunter and Fullmetal Alchemist. Ed and Al are too cute! So is Killua. :3
Chapter Six: Who is He, Really?
Hagiri's POV
I was dozing lightly, mostly because it was boring sitting around and just watching the kid. His color was still pale, but a heck of a lot better since Kamiya injected him with some kind of medicine. I didn't know what the hell it was; I wasn't a doctor.
I noticed some things about him, too. Not just physical things, like how his sandy-blonde hair would fall into his eyes when he shifted in the bed, or how his ocean-blue eyes seemed to change color depending on his mood (although the only ones I've seen were agitation, worry, and hate), but about his personality. He was a very dependant kind of person, and emotional as well. Crushed easily. Hurt easily. I had to take it slow this time.
The nurse came in again sometime later, this time bringing in someone with her along with the tray of hospital food. She had a kind smile on her face as she silently brought in a familiar teenaged boy with crimson hair and green eyes and closed to door behind her.
"Mr. Mitarai."
I looked up. "He's not awake yet, but he's doing… alright. I suppose I can't stop you from coming if you're a guest… but don't bother him."
That was the least of my worries, but I had to make it seem otherwise… We all have our morals… some less than others… I wasn't feeling all that guilty about manipulating Mitarai, but if anyone found out… Shuuichi Minamino took a seat beside me. "How is he?"
Stupid kid can't listen. "He's recovering but tired and suffering from malnutrition right now," I said, not bothering to hide the annoyed tone from my voice. What did it matter?
"I hear you have five days until you're arrested…"
"Yeah?"
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with."
He stood up to his full height. "If you hurt him, I won't forgive you."
Then he softened his gaze. "Forgive me, I didn't mean it like that… the thing is, I know that I'm not close to Mitarai… but I will be facing him in the upcoming tennis match, and I need him to get well by then. Without interference."
I just stared hard at him. "You, Shuuichi Minamino? You shouldn't be guilty. You're the prince of this school. No one's going to blame you if you win by default. Everyone's rooting for you anyways."
He remained impassive, but the tone of his voice hardened almost imperceptibly. "I cannot let an opponent so skillful just slip away because of some trick of fate."
He then sighed and looked at me directly in the eye with a fierce look in his. "He has just as much chance of defeating me as I do of him. He is—"
"MOTHER!"
Mitarai had woken up. He had streams of perspiration on his face as he choked on tears that I hadn't notice before. He was apparently very shaken up. I noticed that his eyes were blank as he continued to talk to himself, his arms hugging his shoulders in loneliness. "You—I… why don't you care about me? Y-you're always… you're so far away…I… I hate you… I hate you… why are you always so….you're…you're…"
"Hallucinations…possibly caused by recollections of the past…" Shuuichi murmured next to me. "I… had no idea."
Mitarai suddenly looked at us, the daze fading away from his half-lidded eyes as he demanded, "What are you doing here… Kurama?"
He said Shuuichi's alias so… bitterly. Shuuichi smiled softly, his eyes landing on Mitarai's thin form with understanding. "I won't ask you about your family matters… and I will be leaving soon, if that's what you want… but I wanted to tell you… all parents care about their children… just as all children care for their parents. Try to understand each other… you won't regret it…"
He opened the door, pausing just a step to say calmly, "Expect me tomorrow," before shutting it gently behind him. Mitarai then turned to me, asking, "What about you? Where are you staying?"
And I'll avoid questions about his family as well…
I turned a charming smile on him. Might as well… this is an opportunity to get closer… "Oh, I'll be staying here."
Mitarai's POVWhat…? Did I hear right? He was staying here? HERE! In this room? With me? "You're not serious…"
"I am… seeing as to how the cops won't let me go anywhere without their supervision, and this is the only place where they'll leave me alone… I hope you don't mind."
I gulped. That was not a request or a question… and I was powerless to stop him. And I realized that for some reason, I didn't mind… I was… beginning to relax around him. With him, I realized, I thought less about my family, my problems… and more about the present. Not that the present was any less depressing than the past… everyone still hated me… but he felt really different. "I… guess I don't. And I'm sorry… about before… I was rude."
He smiled again at me; was it just me, or did that smile look a little bit strained? He picked up a fresh tray of hospital food and handed it to me, saying, "You dodged it last time, but this time, you have to eat. Or would you prefer to die?"
I suddenly felt depressed again… Mr. Sensui tried to kill me…"No one's going to care if I die… except maybe Minamino, but that's only because of his stupid sense of honor…"
Just as I looked up, I saw a flash of light, and a pair of chopsticks were inserted into my mouth. Sniper looked slightly annoyed as he practically snarled, "One, I might care if you didn't have such a bad inferiority complex. Two, YOU. Are going. To eat. Whether you like it. Or not."
I blushed as his intense violet eyes stared into mine. It probably wasn't just me; there was something about those eyes that would make anyone feel dizzy… There it was again! I just lost my train of thought… "Alright?"
He quirked a small grin as he added. "And three, DON'T make me force-feed you the entire way. The first few times are okay, but anything after that, and I might just lose my temper."
I managed a small smile as I took the chopsticks and started to eat, in tiny bites, ignoring him as he stared at me with a strange expression on his face. He then started talking again, this time more seriously, and about a subject that completely threw me off. "Look, kid… I know you're depressed about Sensui and all… but it he probably wasn't the one who ordered that attack on you."
I stopped cold. "What do you mean? You were the one who said—"
"I mean, it was him, but it wasn't, okay?"
"Are you running a fever or something?" Is that why you're being so nice? I hadn't wondered about that before… and what about Sensui?
"NO! He… Sensui has a multiple personalities… and it's more than likely that a different one than the one that you know set those men on you… He was acting strangely a few days before… it happened. So I don't think he hates you, Mitarai. Why are you crying?"
I suddenly smiled, tears streaming down my face and falling on the bed. I was angsting for such a long time… for nothing… well, not completely nothing, but I was just… so happy at the moment… Mr. Sensui didn't hate me… he didn't hate me… And it was what Sniper had said that… made me feel like this… I wasn't usually mercurial in my emotions. I hugged him fiercely, making him demand, "Y-you're not supposed to do that to other guys, Mitarai, get off!"
I let go and said, smiling, in a voice shaking with emotion, "I'm sorry, I-I'm just so happy… he doesn't hate me? He really doesn't?"
"I said he might not…"
Even so… was that a blush on his face? I grinned as he looked away. "But just for saying that, Sniper…"
How would he know? Why is he able to make me feel like this? It's like he's reading into my soul…Who is he, really?
"...Thank you."
.:Owari:.
A/N: Ack, I know, Sniper was a bit OOC, as was Mitarai… and the mood for this chapter was less angsty than the other ones… and it didn't make too much sense, with Mitarai's ever-changing emotions… well, I'm never coherent when I'm writing a chapter… so please just let it go. xD Tell me if I made any serious mistakes, okay? My style changes with each update too, since it's always a while since I do update, so bear with me.
Oh yeah, and I'm sorry for saying there would be Kurama/Hiei in this chapter. It didn't appear… sorry! But I did make a new Kurama/Hiei story in the other shared account TheBigPen; it's called Kurayami no Akai Bara. Check it out (and review)!
Dedicated to Kireishi for letting me sap off of her files in Groupers (haha)! PS: I'm currently downloading episode 33 of Fushigi Yuugi (TT), AKA Nuriko's death... I can't wait. No, I don't hate Nuriko (in truth, he's my favorite character), I just love angst scenes.
Review!
