Chapter I : Hoshi no Suna
The sunlight filtered through my closed shades, finding the little cracks between the blinds, small yet large enough to allow them access into my dark room. Strange that the room would be bathed in a luminescent glow yet it still remained so cold - Cold enough to awaken me and cold enough to splash me with a stark sense of reality.
"Sing to me...?"
Voices, they filled my mind as I pushed the stifling blankets off me. Like chains, they wove their encumbering limbs around mine, encasing me in their soft embrace, choking me with their gentleness. With that thought, I jerked myself up, stumbling out of bed.
"Anything, to make your tears run dry."
What happened last night? Why did I have a torrent of memories rushing through my mind? Resembling broken fragments, they were jarring, disorientating me. Tightening my fist in an attempt to recall the happenings of the night before, I felt a strange new material in my hand. Paper. When had that been given to me?
"Go there. I'll be there until the end of the month."
Smoothening the crumpled paper, I stared at the plain words that adorned the stark white sheet. Should I...?
"31 Brighton Lane... where is that?"
"When you need me... don't forget, until the end of the month."
The ringing of the alarm clock was the only thing that woke me out of my reverie. Time for school! Hardly sparing the address a second glance, I stuffed it into the pocket of my worn jeans, not having removed it since the night before, grabbed my bag and ran out.
A flash of red.
It was him.
Despite knowing that he only took me to be a friend, I could not help the little skip my heart made, or the twinge in my stomach as he neared me with his easy smile. Most of all, I could not help it when my feet started pacing in only direction I knew - towards him, always towards Kenshin.
"Kenshin. How have you been?"
Smiling gaily, I raised my right hand in a small wave which was the everyday ritual that we had. I would wave, he would grin with the usual 'fine thank you. And you, Kaoru-chan? What's new?' and then we'd turn in the direction of class to begin a new day. Normally I'd start blabbering about the events of the day before after we've parted, but this time, I remained silent. Do I really wish I share with him my new friend? Is there the necessity to tell him everything?
'Of course!... but...'
It was the tugging at my elbow that made me stop and turn to my best friend next to me quizzically.
"Huh?"
Kenshin sighed exasperatedly shaking his head as his eyes twinkled teasingly.
"I asked you whether you're alright. You were spacing out and I was wondering what's wrong."
Raising both hands in a wave to show him that I was fine, I laughed as I shook my head. Kenshin always picked up on the little nuances of mine. Like a mimosa that closes at the slightest touch, he knew just when something was wrong with me just by being with me. It was endearing yet frustrating at the same time because I knew that no matter how close he stood to me, how tender he held my arm, when the bell rang and the day ended, he would not be there anymore.
"...I lightly kissed your cheek
and always watched
as you walked away..."
The words returned to me as I suddenly saw Enishi before me. Strumming his guitar as he cradled it like a lover would. He understood me. He would be there at the end of the day... right?
"Missy!" The shout was followed by a hard thump on my back.
"Sano!!" I protested. It hurt. Sano never knew what kind of strength he had, or perhaps he did and simply did that to shake me out of the stupor I seem to keep finding myself in.
"Maa maa, Kaoru-chan, it's time to go to class anyway."
Kenshin's reassuring smile slid on easily as he guided me to the classroom where lessons were to begin for us. Another new day, another new adventure. Shaking my head from the foreign thoughts that were threatening to distract me, I linked my arms with Sano's and Kenshin's and got ready to face a new morning.
"And the protons then..."
I hated chemistry. Who needed it to survive anyway? It's not as if I'm growing up to be a chemist or a chemical engineer. A doctor? Ha. Like anyone would allow me near their body with some funny gadgets.
Lazily doodling on the notepad in front of me, I hardly noticed when the piece of paper plane came crashing to a halt on my table.
"Sayonara, I think I'll die from this stupid talk of protons. Sano."
Giggling, I turned to his direction diagonally across me as I spied him lying on his table, his arms sprawled out, tongue sticking out and his face twisted in the most grotesque expression ever. Baka Sano, he's just trying to make me feel better after what Kenshin did.
I knew what he was doing, and for that, I was all the more grateful. It's been two days, but though I've yet to get over it, I no longer blame my strange yet gentle friend. Sano, that's who Roald Dahl had in mind when he created the BFG, I'm sure. Though seemingly gangly and insensitive, sometimes shocking people with his blunt statement, Sanosuke never fails to surprise me sometimes.
Cracking an eyelid at me, Sano sent a wink my way before he picked himself up and peered at the thick, imposing chemistry book before him. Grinning, I stuck my tongue out at him. Baka Sano. I affectionately shook my head and looked back at the board.
"Sayonara..." I could not help but whisper at the word Sano wrote, the same one that brought my mind back to the song. In his strange twisted way, Sano was trying to say what Enishi did the night before...
"...Goodbye, myself who was crying yesterday
Quietly close your eyes..."
... to learn to let go.
Maybe that's the lesson for today.
"Miss. Kamiya, can you please answer question two for us?"
Smiling brightly at my new revelation, I scanned the book for the question and grinned at the answer that I wrote the day before.
Maybe I already knew it.
"The answer is 'B'."
Maybe I just needed to follow through with it.
Another day, another set of challenges faced, another time to turn my back and trek home. Nowhere else to go but home.
"Kaoru-chan."
"Ke-kenshin?"
I could not hide the disbelief that crept into my voice at his disarming grin and his relaxed posture.
"I.. I thought you were busy with soccer, what with the competitions coming round and all."
Stuttering like a blushing teenage girl in front of her high school crush, which incidentally, was the truth, I hid my discomfort by re-adjusting the straps of my schoolbag to busy myself while he answered.
"I am. I just wanted to ask you whether you're fine. You didn't seem at all that happy this morning."
My eyes softened at his confession. The poor boy who would never know, forever hidden in the shroud of mist that I left him in. Resting my hand on his shoulder, I gave it a gentle shove in the direction of the soccer field.
"Go."
His startled gaze bore into my insistent one.
"I'm fine, I'm always fine, so don't worry, ne?"
Nodding his head despite his wary glance, he waved as he jogged back to the field.
Shoving my hands into my jean pockets I could not stop the overwhelming feeling of despair washed over me. I could see Kenshin's figure shrinking in the horizon, as it always did. And though knowing that he could never be mine, I always looked towards that self same horizon hoping for some sort of miracle.
"Goodbye, my beloved precious person..."
Digging my nails into the coarse fabric, I was surprised to feel a strange unfamiliar object in my pocket. Yesterday crashed like a tidal wave at the address that was scribbled on it.
... Maybe there was somewhere to go after all.
"You're here." Enishi simply stated as he continued strumming on his guitar. Looking so at ease, it only served to heighten my sense of awareness of the vast amount of space between us at that moment.
The room wasn't that lavishly decorated. In fact, everything seemed so Spartan that the vast sense of space sent my mind reeling. High-ceilinged, it made for a natural set for Enishi to perform. Not an echo out of place, the music flowed effortlessly through his instrument and right into my soul. Seated comfortably on the couch, the only piece of furniture in the white-washed room, he breathed life into the deadened clinical room.
"Ah... What are you playing?" I could not help but ask as I plopped myself rather ungracefully on the floor at his feet. Seeing him in this new angle, I took in the slight tan of his bronze skin, wondering when he had the opportunity to get some sunlight as well as noticing the strange marks that marred his otherwise perfect arm. Not wanting to intrude upon his privacy though he did invite me, I turned to observe his fingers caressing the strings of the guitar as he created such beautiful music.
"Nothing much, just trying to come up with something new." His reply was as nonchalant as his unobtrusive flippant manner. Not wanting to make me uncomfortable, he flashed me an easy grin as he turned back to playing.
"Can..." I started, not quite knowing what I wanted to say, yet needing to ask him anyway. "Is... is it alright if I just stayed here and listen?"
Seeing his raised eyebrow I rushed on not wanting to hear his objection, not for that moment. I've been rejected far enough to last my entire life.
"Enishi, I promise I won't get in your way. I'll just sit here, I won't even talk or move if you don't want me to!"
His chuckle was the loveliest thing I've ever heard that day. It was rich and warm, yet solitary and aloof at the same time. How he managed to be such a puzzle wrapped into a person still amazes me.
"You can stay here as long as you want." Bringing his finger to my cheek, he brushed it over my skin in the lightest caress. "You're always welcomed."
Sighing contentedly, I wondered at the coolness of his touch. Yet I simply leaned back on my haunch as his hand was brought back to the guitar and he started strumming to an entirely new chord. Music and words flowed out of him as he left his gaze somewhere before my feet, in a land where only melodies and beauty existed.
"It all becomes completely quiet... from the enwrapped sky and the sun that scorches the body, you are vanishing
What do you wander, searching for? As for myself, all alone..."
Listening to Enishi, basking in his music, the magic he wove around me, protecting me from the realities of the world outside 31 Brighton Lane, I could not help but feel as though some part of me has finally been completed.
Tsuzuku
A/N: To let everyone know, (especially cincygurl22) the lyrics are not mine. They belong to the brilliantly talented Gackt. The lyrics from the previous chapter are from his song, Sayonara and the new ones in this chapter is from Hoshi no Suna, hence the chapter titles. Easy to remember, ne? Well, this chapter is more of a character/plot development and the next chapter should be speeding things up a little more, hopefully. I've already got everything planned out, so do expect an actual ending to this story. Yea!!!
A big thank you to: Jeri, 'Nishi-kun and Tsuki-san. You guys have been supporting me in all my stories and lavished me with so much encouraging praise that I must say I'm getting very spoilt from all the attention. Really, thank you a thousand times over!
To my lovely reviewers who makes my day: [] – Yes, I do want to make Kenshin jealous, but due to the supernatural circumstance, I wonder how that would happen… still, look out for it, who knows what would happen??? ; MaryDFair – The supernatural elements would be coming in later on, somewhere in… chapter 4-5 or something like that. I'm rather big on plot development right now, so taking things a little slow right now would be the order of the day, please bear with me, I'll try my best to make it worth your while. PeRsOn– Personally, I'm an EK fan, but in this case, it's definitely a KK. Right now, things are still a little hazy due to the ominous plot development but if you're patient, I'll make the pairings clearer as the chapters develop on! Have faith in Haru-chan! BelleDayNight – It's so lovely hearing from you again! I thought that my other fics killed your interest in my stories or something. sheepish grin Like I said, it'll be a KK, so have faith and a great deal of patience because I foresee a long journey ahead. Not something extremely long, but about 8-10 chapters? ß if you're lucky and I can keep my word that is. –hangs head in shame- Donna8157 - Ack! It's so lovely to hear from you again!!! I'm sorry to say that it's only in the beginning that there would be an EK. Yep, for once I'm having a multi-chaptered story that is KK. –gasp in shock- I've surprised myself too. I've always thought that writing a looong story that explores KK would be virtually impossible for me, but well… -shrugs- I somehow made it here! I hope you support this decision nonetheless and stay on for the ride! The evil witch – Well, I hope you're not that evil when you submit another review! nudgenudge okok, I'm just kidding. Thanks for your encouraging words, God knows I need it when I hit a writer's block! Ryuujin Dragon King – Such a long nick! Took me long enough to type it! I know lots of people don't like Enishi, or perhaps they don't appreciate him? But whatever it is, Enishi's sorely understated half the time, the poor psychotic guy –grinz- But this is KK so it should satiate your appetite for KK! Thanks!
And before I forget, the plot is somewhat taken from a manga I read sometime ago. I can't quite remember the title, but the plot is vaguely there. If anyone knows what the title is, please let me know so I can give due credit!
Haruko