A/n: Yes, officially now, Numb is no more in hiatus! Yay for me and you too! I hope you appreciate this fourth chapter. I tried hard for this you know to make up for my lack of updates. The most recent reviews kept me going, few as they are. Dedications at the end. Read and review please and enjoy!

Watch out for crude… languages. Hehehe.

Chapter 4: And Now We Start

Ren

That blasted Ainu. Getting to detention was the last thing I'll ever need. Soiled. How dare she soil a Tao by getting detention! And all those people around the class will actually think that I…she…that… Damn it. And her insinuation of my …maleness is going too far. How vain can she get? I clenched my teeth as I speared the dummy in front of me.

And that teacher actually thinks that we "don't exactly look bad together".

What a lame observation.

Pirika

That blasted homo. Getting me to detention when it should have been him in it! I fumed as I combed my hair, glaring back at myself through the mirror. What is it that he wants anyway? And all those people in class would actually think that I…he…that…oh, argh! Damn it. It's not like I'm taking a fancy for him. Oh, eww…yuck!

And that teacher actually thinks that we "don't exactly look bad together".

What a stupid observation.

A day for another regular class passed on with Ren and Pirika pointedly ignoring each other and practically glaring every time they pass by one another. Seated by each other again, Pirika tried to pull her skirt to her side as much as possible, trying not to let any contact with Ren possible, which she emphasized by shooting disgusted glances over Ren. She squeezed herself to the farthest point of her chair (until she actually became a part of it).

Once through the day, she pointed to an imaginary line, she said "don't come any closer or anywhere beyond that line, Ren-ny"

Hating the I-know-you-steal-make-ups glare that she received from Pirika, he glared. "Tell me, why would I want to get my hands infected by you?"

"Oh no, you don't understand…" She frantically replied. "I was scared that you'd get my… face powder and lotion that I've been keeping in my bag…" She almost seemed on the verge of tears.

"What!"

"Not that I care to infect you anyway, I know you were more infectious than me so I should be the one avoiding you. I wouldn't want to be getting sick."

Ren took a few seconds to digest everything that he had heard. Well, she actually thought you have some kind of sexual disease or something…fatal. Go figure, Ren.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Ren played back everything again. A moment of realization came and he jumped up from his seat tossing it over. Pirika was taken back with surprise that she only had time to gasp. A flash and he was already in front of her, seething. Eyes bloody murder.

"Take. that. back." He gritted his teeth as he leaned down on her seat until he was inches from her.

"No."

Everyone around the room was staring at them, now that Ren had managed to create such commotion again.

He leered and grinned sardonically at her, which caused her to fret and look away, blushing. "You asked for it." He raised a hand to her cheek, watching as she blushed and her eyes widen in fright.

He lowered his head until only a few centimeters away from her. She closed her eyes expectantly; oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching them now. A few more millimeters and his lips would touch hers. She could feel his warm breath on her face . She was only aware of the masculine hand on her face, calloused yet gentle. A little more and he could have kissed her, she could hear her heart beating on her ears. He could feel the quickening of her pulse on his hand. A mere distance and he could have kissed her…

Until he pulled away.

Smirking at Pirika, he turned to leave. "I guess you do hate to come near me with that entire struggle that you're making. I see that rather… clearly." And he stalked out of the class, as the bell signaled break from a few minutes ago.

Too stunned to move or even register in her mind what has just happened, she watched as he walked out of class, arrogant and stately in every move that he made, making sure that everyone regarded him as superior.

Finally coming back to her senses, a flash of white hot anger shot through her body. With only one thing in mind (Why you insufferable arrogant spear-brandishing homo!), she tried to think of something as payback. Her head was swooning, how could she let him do that to her! As he was leaving soon and was about to slide the door close, she pulled out a shoe and with full-strength, threw it over to Ren, therefore gracefully hitting him squarely in the head.

"Ow! What the!" before he could even react and string a few words together, Pirika was already in front of him and with one swift move, planted an upper cut on his unguarded jaw. If Ren thought that the Ainu is already satisfied, well he thought wrong the moment Pirika kicked him where-it-counts.

Ren doubled over in pain and fell down feeling as if the world already crashed down on him. It took all his strength to keep himself from hollering at the blasted Ainu performing some kind of ritual dance for him which to Pirika was her victory dance.

"Oh my censor! Damn it!"

Pirika

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Serves you right, you pointy-haired beauty-envying homo!

Ren

Oww! Why the brat just kicked me! Kicked me! Not just kicked me, she kicked me at… at god-knows-where! And what the hell! What's that dance for! Teme!

3 Things that Ren failed to see that morning:

1. Pirika's victorious grin and maniacal laugh (that she made a point to wear every time she meets Ren)

2. His own face contorted in pain and anger (according to Pirika was worth capturing)

3. His classmates' jaws dropping to floor level.

Stupid Conversations with Nosy Classmates

"So, what's the real score?"

"What? What score? We have a test!"

The raven haired girl thwacked Pirika in the head with a notebook, causing the startled Ainu to flinch.

"Ow! Hey, that hurts!"

"You could stop denying now."

"Deny what?"

"Gee, how many layers of skin do you actually wear?" Pirika watched as the nosy girl rolled her eyes up at

her, as if she was the most retarded being in the whole world. "Like, do you have a brain or something?"

"What? Oh, argh! Come on! I don't have anything to deny ok? What I'm saying is all that there is!" Pirika

explained exasperatedly.

Not hearing what she said, "How does it feel?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Feel what? Oh, feel my knee on his you-know-what? Great. It feels great."

"NO! Stupid girl!" Thwack again.

"Ow! Oh and I was stup-!"

"I mean, how does it feel to be kissed by him? I hear he has a decent amount of admirers who envy your place. He is a Tao, after all."

Pirika choked on the juice she was drinking. "Wh-what?"

"You know? Kiss? Under K in the dictionary? Oh and sorry about that, I didn't mean to make you jealous or something."

She flushed. "Ok, look, I know where it can be found and I know what it means! Gee, why in the world would they want that… that homo! And for the last time Rei, I am not jealous!" Pirika snorted. "Be in my place? They don't know what its like to be in my place. He is a Tao. So what? And we don't kiss at all. The idea looked almost…oh eww!"

"Like, you don't, like, actually care?"

"Uh, no." Pirika shrugged.

"So Ren-kun is free."

"It's his privilege."

"Yes!"

"What? What's that for?"

"You mean I could actually have him?"

"Oh, God. Don't tell me you like him!"

"Are you kidding! Of course I do!" A sound of someone fainting and hitting the floor with a loud thud could be heard.

"Anou…Rei? Oi Rei! Rei wake up!"

"Okay, spit it out."

"Spill what?" Ren asked, irritated.

"About Pirika and You."

"Oh the brat? I will kill her." Ren's eyes glints dangerously while his face contorted in what seemed like…pain, remembering how she kicked his… He seethes even more.

"Did you have some kind of LQ?" Guy looks undaunted.

"LQ?"

"Gee, man, you do seriously need some lesson in loving or something."

Ren's spear could be seen pointed at the other guy's throat. "What did you say?"

"Did I say anything?" Strangled gasps.

"…"

Glare.

"Ack! You don't have to kill me… I was just trying to help!"

Silence.

"Lover's Quarrel. Are you abusing or hurting her in anyway?"

"I'd like to." Knuckle crack.

"Whoa, I didn't know you're a sadist Ren. You don't have to do that to actually seduce her. I think she's sweet."

"Sweet!" Ren chokes.

"Yes. And nice hair too, angelic face." Whistles.

"Are you blind?"

"Love is blind."

"What! What the hell was that crap!"

"So, she's free?"

"What free?"

"You're not his boyfriend?"

"Stop now or I'll kill you." Ren's eyes glints dangerously again.

"I can't court her!"

Ren looks bored. "What is it that you want? You're wasting my time."

"It's okay. I'd be nursing a wounded heart for the meantime. I didn't mean to steal her from you." Someone crying could be heard. Sniff. Sniff. "I understand how you wouldn't like to let a girl like her go. She has got to be the most beautiful girl I've seen…" Wistful sigh.

"Beautiful! What the hell! Pirika is a lesbian! Didn't you see the way she kicked…my… my… kicked me!" Ren hollered.

"I'd like to think of it as a woman's spirit."

"What the hell! Woman's spirit huh?" Ren kicks the guys shin. Guy hollers in pain.

"Hah."

The fourth bell of the day was the last and final, signaling the end of the day. Students rushed out hurriedly, each having their own places to go. Some took a few more minutes to fix their things and to chatter with their other classmates, catching up. It would be sometime before the halls would be completely empty.

Miyahara-sensei stood in front of the empty class, except for the two lone figures sitting at the back. She fixed her things before rearranging her glasses on her face, and stared at them sternly. The girl's head was bowed down while the boy was looking out at the window, with his arms on his chest. She cleared her throat to make them acknowledge her presence, snapping them both to attention.

"Haven't made it up between you two? Still bickering?" She asked, noticing the awkward silence. "Very well, since there aren't much paper works for now, you two could start for the classroom only, clean it. Both. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." They answered in unison.

"Lock the classroom doors after, here's the key. And. Clean. The. Room." She left the tiny key on the table before glancing once more at the unmoving figures in class. "Ja."

Miyahara-sensei walked out, sliding the door shut behind her. A few seconds had passed, neither Chinese nor Ainu moving from their seats.

"Ok, I'm leaving." Pirika yawned and swung her bag to her back walking casually to the doors, praying that he won't try to stop her from leaving. "I've got dinner to cook and a house to clean." She looked back at him and smiled.

"No, you're not." Instead of sitting at the back, Ren was now at the door, leaning casually and locking the door.

"Oi! How did you get there!" Pirika gaped at Ren.

Ren let a small smirk play along his lips. "Trying to avoid me, are you?"

Pirika gave a haughty sniff. "Ha, why should I? I'm not scared of you. If ever I should, it's because you have a disease."

Ren walked menacingly at her, "I don't have a disease! Where the hell are you getting those ideas anyway!"

"Oh. You need not have worry." The Ainu waved her hand casually. "I am the only one who knows anyway, and I can be trusted." She gave her confident smile and wink.

"I haven't forgotten what you did to me." He seethed.

"Oh that. You'd get over it."

"Damn you!" He lunged at her and held her in a tight grip at the shoulders. "What the hell is it that you want from me!"

"That hurts."

The hands that held her shoulder sprang away like acids. "So?"

The insolence in his voice hadn't escaped Pirika's ears. "Don't touch me again, you homosexual freak!"

"Ha. You don't like me touching you, do you? Especially what happened this afternoon."

He sneered.

She blushed.

"You almost kissed me."

"Liked it? I enjoy your struggle."

She felt the color and blood rushing through her. "Baka! Uruse na!" And she shoved the dirty mop on his

face.

"Augh!"

A few minutes after…

"Oi, would you please stand up from your stately chair and help clean!" Pirika shouted at the Ren sitting languidly on the teacher's chair with feet propped on the table.

"Shove me the mop? NO."

"I'd very well like to go home early."

"Then you better hurry up."

"No! That's not what I meant! I wanted you to help!"

"Beg."

"No thanks."

"You're welcome."

A few seconds of silence and Pirika staring at Ren.

"I know I am good looking and all, but do you actually have to gawk at me?" Ren quipped sardonically.

Pirika looked almost ready to vomit.

"Jeez, Ren please just help ok?"

"Since you said please, uh, no."

Pirika, knowing better, just shut up and continued mopping the classroom. It was now Ren's turn to gawk at her. He noticed how forlorn her faced looked like at her last request. He almost said yes to her. But other than that, she couldn't help noticing how she had grown over the years. He barely talked to her before, much more notice her but having her at close proximity was something new.

"Stop looking at me."

"What!"

"I said stop looking at me." She must have caught him and he flushed angrily, looking away. "Drop your Tao pride and help me."

He continued ignoring her until a loud thud could be heard. The sound of a body painfully meeting the floor.

"Oh DAMN!"

Pirika was holding her rear painfully while she lay sprawled on the floor, obviously slipping over some wet part on the floor. As if this wasn't enough, Ren snickered and walked elegantly towards her. Now that she was lying helpless and he was standing, Ren looked ultimately superior over her.

"You could stop snickering now." Pirika looked irritated over his hovering shadow.

"No Ainu, I am enjoying it." He sneered some more. Pirirka tried to get up from her pitiful position but failed, paining her even more.

"Need help?"

"Do you need to state the obvious?"

"You're doing well yourself. Just stand up and hurry. Finish. Mopping." And he walked away.

"Why you inconsiderate self-centered prat!" This time she was already standing.

"Are you always this clumsy!" His eyes narrowed angrily at her.

"Well, since I am this clumsy, the least you could do was to help me!"

"No way!"

"Why the hell not!"

"Well, Ainu, you told me I have a disease remember? And you're scared of being infected, you do that alone. Anything I touch won't be sanitary anymore. You could continue doing detention alone since you seem to enjoy it so much!"

"I am not enjoying it!"

Ren ran his hands through his clean uniform. "This is…janitor's work. It is not fit for a Tao." He walked to where he had sat and saw the key to the classroom. "And I'd be keeping this key." He slid it down to his pocket. Pirika just stared, gaping at Ren.

Pirika decided that it's impossible to get over the bull headed Shaman so she just turned on her back and as much as it hurt her pride, finished the mopping job that she started. "Whatever."

It could have been the best exit ever.

It was already so dramatic.

She didn't even look back at Ren as she decided to finish her job, determined to just continue quietly.

She had walked with dignity, her nose up in the air.

Until she slipped for the second time that afternoon.

I know. A lame excuse to finish a fic. Gah.

Thanks to the ff:

To jingle bells, Hannah Kyouyama, usagi, anna, yume, sayuriko myasaki, moondragon and sakura li for the unsigned reviews.
To Hinote Kitsune Nikore and Daydreaming Child for the continued reviews.
To Joycethemonster for her reviews and uber uber uber late birthday. I hope you liked this.
To Fungi fungus Rayne because I love her name J
To Lillian Claire for continued support in Ren/Pirika fics and encouraging comments.
To Miss. Whiskey Pete, Nakashima-Michiyo and anangelslife for telling me to go on with the fic.
To AnonymousHatred, Iudex Acerbus and cherri-chan for the initial reviews.