Chapter 6 – Out For the Count

The next morning Eyie wasn't her usual sunny self. She spent half the day moping around the apartment, except she called it "spacing out".

Kula had dragged K' with her into the den after they had watched Eyie listlessly eat her lunch.

"I'm just so worried about her," Kula murmured, glancing anxiously at the direction of the kitchen.

K' frowned. "I guess we shouldn't have asked too much questions yesterday."

"I agree," Kula replied, wringing her hands together.

K' began pacing back and forth on the rug. "We have to think of something to cheer her up."

Just then, the phone rang.

Kula answered it. "Hello?"

"Uh… Is – is Eyie there?" a boy's voice asked hesitantly.

"Yes, she is. But why…?" Kula raised her eyebrows at K'. He shrugged.

"I need to talk to her," the boy said. "Please, ma'm, it's urgent…"

"Okay. Hold on for a sec," Kula said, covering the receiver with her hand. "Can you call Eyie? It's for her," she told K'.

K' went into the kitchen. Eyie was sitting at the kitchen table, staring out the window.

K' was reminded of what he used to be by watching Eyie. Sad, lonely, confused. But he had a hunch that Eyie was hiding something. What was she hiding?

"Eyie?" he called her softly.

Eyie snapped out of her stupor. "Huh?..."

"There's a phone call for you."

Eyie felt her dim spirits glow like a fanned ember. Could it be…? No. It can't be. It must be some other person.

She let out an exasperated sigh as she trudged into the den. "Now who could this be…" she muttered as she took the receiver from Kula. "Thanks, Kula-san."

"Hello?" she spoke into the receiver.

"Eyie? It's me."

Omigosh! It IS him! I can't believe it… He still cares for me!

To K' and Kula's surprise and relief, a joyful smile brightened Eyie's sober face.

"Re – Ren!" she squeaked.

Kula caught the name and remembered the friend Eyie was talking about. Could this be Ren Akujiki? If he was, Kula wanted to give him a hug. He was just what Eyie needed to cheer up!

Meanwhile, Eyie was gripping the receiver happily. "The park? Oh, sure! Just let me get dressed," she trilled. "'Bye, Ren."

She set the receiver down and turned to K' and Kula with shining eyes. "K'-san, Kula-san, I have to meet somebody, we're meeting at the park, and don't worry, he's a good friend of mine, so can I can I CAN I?"

"Whoa, slow down!" K' exclaimed, holding up his hands.

"Okay, go ahead, Eyie," Kula laughed, patting Eyie on the shoulder. "Have a good time with your…'friend'…" She winked at Eyie.

Eyie threw her arms around Kula. "I LOVE YOU! I'll be back as soon as I can!" She quickly turned around to race to her room, but she wasn't quick enough to hide the faint blush on her face.

Aha! Kula thought slyly. I knew it. He's more than just her friend…

Why's she blushing? K' thought, puzzled.

Kula shook her head amusedly as Eyie slammed her bedroom door. "That Eyie! She can be so hyper at times."

"Tell me about it." K' rolled his eyes. "Which reminds me… Now that she'll be out for a while, why don't we take this chance?" He put his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Kula smiled as she leaned against him. "She wouldn't be able to interrupt this time. But," she disentangled herself from his arms, "wait until she's on her way to meet her Ren."

"All right."

Eyie appeared at the doorway, dressed warmly in her favorite outfit: long, black coat; red, black, and white striped turtleneck blouse; red flared jeans; and red Chucks. She grinned at them. "I'll be a little late in coming back. 'Bye!" She streaked out the apartment door.

As soon as he could hear Eyie's footsteps fading away, K' glanced at Kula. "Now then."

Kula let out a small giggle as she pulled him into the bedroom.

Now let's go to where Eyie is…

Eyie looked around expectantly around the park. He had to be there by now.

Then she saw him, sitting on a bench overlooking the duck pond.

"Ren," she smiled.

Ren turned around to face her. His hazel eyes smiled into hers as he patted the place beside him. "Hi. Come on and rest yourself."

She sat down beside him and they watched the ducks swim around the pond. For a moment neither of them spoke. Then,

"Ren?"

"Yeah?"

"How are the others doing?"

"They're all great and doing well. Suzumi says she plans to visit you when she has the chance." Suzumi was Eyie's twin sister.

"I'm glad to hear that."

Silence.

After a moment of awkward stillness, Eyie summoned up her courage to ask the question she had feared the most.

"Is… Is he okay?"

Ren looked worriedly at her. She still can't get over it, he thought. He nodded and put an arm around her shoulders. "He's patching up pretty good."

Eyie sighed.

"Uh… How're you doing?" he changed the subject.

"Oh… I'm fine, just fine. I'm living with K' and Kula right now, and they're great…"

"K-Dash and Kula Diamond? The 'Beast of Prey' and the 'Pussycat?' Cool!"

"Uh-huh. They're already teaching me some of their moves."

"Are the rumors true? Are they really a couple?"

Eyie smiled. "Yes. I catch them doing some spark in the den, but I throw myself off the hook by acting like a little, naïve girl. Actually, I think they might – " She shook her head violently. "Ew! I'd freak out if I catch them doing 'it'!"

He gulped. "So would I! I think you'd better show them what you really feel about their doing 'it'."

She nodded sheepishly. "All right. I'll ditch the 'little girl' act. And I'm going to make sure I'm doing something or I'm out somewhere if they decide to do 'it'." She smiled at Ren gratefully. "I appreciate what you're trying to do."

He gave her a small smile. "I had to. I want to see you happy."

She shook her head. "It's difficult, Ren."

"Look, I know that it's hard to forget, but it wasn't really your fault; he was the one who started it – "

She shook her head again fiercely. "Bu – but I should have stopped myself! I shouldn't have let my temper get carried away!" She shut her eyes miserably as a red, angry flush flooded upon her face.

Ren grabbed her by the shoulders. "Calm down, it was an accident! Nobody's blaming you."

To Ren's dismay, tears started running down Eyie's face. "I – I just can't get it out of my mind! Every night, I dream about it over and over again… Oh, Ren, it's horrible!"

She could still see it as vividly as if it had only happened yesterday.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"Eyie, stop! EYIE!"

Eyie stopped when she heard Ren yell. Her blood-red eyes lost their murderous gleam as they faded back to their normal silvery-gray color. She felt confused. What had happened…?

Then she saw the stains on her hands. Dark, red bloodstains. And then she saw the young man sprawled out in front of her. He was savagely wounded and burned, but he was alive. He was staring fearfully at her with wide, agonized eyes. "Stop… Please, no more… I can't fight back… Ugh…" he was whimpering.

As she realized the awful thing she had done, she sank to her knees and began to sob hysterically. "What's happening to me?"

"Eyie… Eyie… Please don't cry…"

She found herself in Ren's arms, her face buried in his jacket. She took a deep, shaky breath.

"That's the way. Calm down…" Ren took out a handkerchief and started to wipe away her tears.

"Oh… Okay…" she sniffled weakly as she took it from him and carefully wiped her eyes.

They sat there for a long time, just holding each other. Then Ren spoke.

"Eyie?"

"Hm…?"

"I – I've been wanting to ask you this, but I just never got around to asking it."

"Wha – what is it?"

"Can you move back to our town?"

She glanced up at him sharply. "But Ren, I can't! I – I'm too scared to go back…"

"Everybody's okay with it now. Even him. He said that it was his fault you…lost control."

"I can't… Not now. I still feel guilty for what I'd done…"

"But everybody misses you! I miss you!"

He stopped and they looked at each other.

"Thanks…" Eyie smiled wanly at Ren.

He looked at her sadly. "You still won't come back?"

She shook her head. "You know that I still can't get over it. I want to get over this and make sure that everybody's forgotten about it by the time I return. Please try to understand."

He sighed resignedly. "If you say so."

She closed her eyes as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "You know… I really miss being with you," she murmured softly.

He rested his cheek on top of her head. "Me too… More than you'll ever know."

Her eyes still closed, she murmured, "Please wait for me…"

"I will." He shut his eyes, then opened them again. "Come on. I'll walk you home so you can rest."

"Okay."

Later, at the apartment building…

"Well… I'll see you next time. Please take care of yourself. I don't want anything to happen to you," Ren said, taking Eyie's hand.

"I will. Take care of yourself, too." She squeezed his hand.

"See ya." He let go and started away.

"Wait – Your handkerchief – "

He turned to face her. "Keep it," he called. "That way, when you look at it, you'll always remember me." He grinned mischievously at her. "Corny, huh?"

She let out a laugh. "Absolutely clichéd!"

"Always be happy! So long!" He turned around and sauntered away.

Eyie smiled fondly at Ren's retreating back. "So long, you old jolly-maker…" she whispered.

After Ren had disappeared into the busy street, Eyie climbed the apartment stairs. She reached the floor of her apartment lodging, and, panting a little from the effort, opened the door.

She looked around. "Where are those two? I hope they went off someplace…"

Since her eyes were still a bit puffy from crying, she couldn't see clearly which door was the door to her room.

Without knowing it, she opened a certain bedroom door, and walked inside…

And now we go to K' and Kula…

K' sighed as he rested his head on the pillow. "It's been a while."

Kula hummed a little tune as she snuggled against K''s torso. "Uh-huh."

"Wonder what Eyie's doing right now?"

"Well…"

Just then, the bedroom door swung open and yours truly wandered in.

K' and Kula sat up abruptly with their arms around each other. "EYIE! You – you're back!"

Eyie squinted at them. She couldn't see well because her of her slightly swollen eyes, so she thought that K' and Kula were only hugging each other. "Oh, sorry to interrupt your hug-fest…" Then her vision cleared, and she saw what they had been really doing. Her eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. "…Wha – what…" she stuttered.

The three of them stared at each other for ten seconds. Then Eyie started to giggle nervously.

"Ha…ha…ha… Oh, wow, I'm so, so sorry…" She had a silly expression on her face as she babbled in a weak voice. Her eyes rolled skyward.

The next thing that K' and Kula knew, Eyie Nishinho was stretched full-length on the rug in a dead faint; out for the count.

To be continued…

Sorry to all those who've reviewed my fic… It took me a long time to remember what was written on the page that I lost (I wrote the draft for Chapter 6 down so I'll have a head start)…

I don't think I like how this turned out… --;