A/N: I wrote this for a short story at school. I am actually quite fond of it but I would understand if others do not share my love. But, I got a perfect score for it, so it was worth the effort. Please keep in mind this is alternate universe.
White Lies and Cigarettes
I hear the screams and stop short in my tracks, a cold shiver lacing down the columns of my spine. The click substance on the floor had definitely been blood... but i don't know whose. My mind is reeling from the shock, head throbbing with the sudden rush of adrenaline and fear. With the strain of an afternoon full of work, my body suddenly felt like dead weight, but my mind screamed 'run!' and I did. Pumping my legs fast as I could I hit the stairs, the old boards groaning with the sudden weight, above me the frantic footsteps echoed heavily as a pursuit began. My tired limbs were in protest long before I reached the bottom of the staircase, wracked from an effort of which I'd never exerted before. But I couldn't stop now. I couldn't stop until I'd taken myself away from the dreadful house... the people I'd hurt and the lives I'd selfishly brought to ruin.
I sat with my legs crossed, struggling with the problem before me and chewing nervously on the end of my pencil. A few strands of long light brown hair intersected my vision as I stared down at the problem, which once came so easily, and now I could no longer comprehend. The calm and steady gaze I could sense fixed upon me overloaded my failing concentration, only furthering my nervousness and anxiety. With a weak sight of defeat I dropped my pencil on the table and sadly looked up at him, "I can't do this, I don't understand it!" I regretted loosing my lady-like composure, normally I wouldn't give way to an outburst of defeat. The frustration was more than I could bear, I knew that it was a simple problem but lately it felt like my brain ceased to function whenever I was around... him.
His smile was kind as he replied, "Here, it isn't so bad once you get the hang of it... All you do is take this 4, multiply it with the subjugate..." The words fell upon deaf ears, I was simply content sitting here like this, watching his expressions as he spoke and letting the smell of his cigarettes drift through the air to play at my nose and etch a memory into my mind. It seemed to me that for once in my like, someone actually cared whether or not I did well at my schoolwork instead of simply pressuring me to be at the top of my class. His expectations weren't so high that I couldn't reach them and he sincerely wanted me to succeed, even if it meant I needed some help once in a while. Truly I wanted to impress him, I wanted him to look at me fondly when I had done well or scored high marks. It made me feel as though leaving home and coming to Hinata Sou was the best decision in my life...
I came to live at Hinata Sou almost one year ago, my name is Narusagawa Naru and this is my story. So not be fooled however, my story is not simple nor is it kind like that which one would expect of an average 15 year old. When I came to Hinata, my mom had just remarried and I suddenly had a little sister and a stepfather. But it wasn't as if I were being treated badly, that's not why I left. I left because the burden was far too great for someone like me to handle, I felt like my entire life had been invaded and flipped topsy turvey. So I came here.
Hinata Sou had, at one time, been a fantastic inn, but when the wealthy owner, known only as Grandma Hina, hit the ripe age of 70 she decided she wanted to experience life for a change. So she cheerfully headed off on a worldwide tour and left the care of the inn to her 20 something daughter, Urashima Haruka, who ran a cafe down the street. Since business at the time was bad they decided to convert the grand old building into a girl's dormitory.
When I arrived the only other resident was a girl named Konno Mitsune, her hair hung just past her shoulders and was the color of sand. She had a cunning face, which always had a mischievous and knowing smile upon it. Her most distinguishable feature though was her eyes, the dull slant made her resemble a fox, and in fact her nickname was 'Kitsune'. She was a year older than me and we attended the same high school, with her help it wasn't long before I'd adjusted to life in my new home. Haruka was essentially our housemother, when I first met her she seemed a bit frightening and cold, maybe it was her low voice and cold, flat, tone which gave me that impression. After I got to know her thought I realized she was a very caring and wise person, not only that but it seemed she'd been a fairly well to do archeologist and had taken on some dangerous assignments in her early youth.
Standing he stretched and approached the window, sliding the pane aside and letting a cool gush of air travel in. As he stood staring out the window at the world he spoke, "You've already mastered math for your grade level, hell I'm sure you could already pass the college exams with flying colors!" His kind eyes regarded her, "But you've got some time to work still don't you... I know you'll do fine, Naru. Don't worry so much okay?"
I watched him, my curled fists clammy with damp sweat, "You... you think so?" I could tell my voice sounded timid and fragile as glass, nervousness slipped in between the cracks of each uttered word. I could feel my face burning already and I focused on the floor to conceal it. "T-thank you..."
"Don't thank me, it's only the truth." He was watching something, but I didn't know what at the time. Maybe if I had known I wouldn't have been so nervous, but the fondness in his gaze didn't even clue me in. I was too enamored to care. His name was Yorinasu Seta, a few months before he'd been asked to tutor me with my schoolwork, especially with math. He'd also tutored Mitsune before me and Haruna seemed to have known him for a long time. At first sight me feelings were already understood. He had that experienced yet casual demeanor of someone who enjoyed life, his ebony hair was slightly unkempt as though he was always to busy to comb it and the light stubble speckling his chin reinforced that opinion. His eyes were a deep carefree brown and he was always smiling. I'd never really cared for guys my age, they were always so immature. Besides, with school there was really no time for boys in my life. I guess his profession was always a spectacular mystery to me, since he was always wearing a white lab coat, I guessed maybe a professor or technician of sorts. I'd only asked about it once but he only chuckled and said I wouldn't be interested. Usually he came twice a week to tutor me, sometimes more if he had extra time, but whenever the time drew near I could feel the butterflies again, fluttering dizzily in my stomach.
I glanced with terror back at the house's entrance, it was black but I knew soon someone would be breaking through that void and it was me they would be after. The long, steep, stone steps that lead to Hinata Sou were just ahead, the trees above whispered and called as I maneuvered beneath them, I could tell they blamed me for what happened. The tears that had begun to sting my eyes and blur my vision began rolling down my cheeks in a distraught wave, a few droplets found a path to ground, leaving a small dark trail on the stones. The moon above was not quite full, but it's radiance seemed mocking on this particular night, and I wanted to hide me face in shame from the pure white light.
A voice called out from the top of the steps, but I did not or could not look back. Flying onto the pavement I quickly spun my weight and fled into a nearby alleyway. My exhausted legs finally gave up and toppled beneath me into the dirt and grime. Crawling into the darkness my breathing was deep and ragged, my lungs ached and my muscles burned as I huddled up and hoped I was safe to rest.
"Hey, Naru!" I heard the call coming from outside my room. My tutoring session has not ended so it was a bit irritating that Mitsune would decide to interrupt.
"What is it Kitsune?" I called out, burying the agitation.
The door of my room slid open with a 'whoosh' and Mitsune stepped in smiling, her hair was done up in two ponytails and she looked like she was ready to go out somewhere. She knelt beside me at my desk and looked at the problems on my paper, "Working hard as always, you shouldn't study so much." The remark was typical as Mitsune was a known slacker. "But I guess with a slave driver like Seta you have no choice." She laughed as she saw the befuddled look on my face.
Seta chuckled as well, "Really? Am I that bad?" Taking another drag from his cigarette he smiled, "Mitsune, I miss that humor of yours."
Had I not been staring at my paper I might have seen the blush creep onto her face in that moment. She smiled and looked to me, "Naru, a few of my classmates and I want to go see that new horror movie they are showing and then go hang out at the park, you should come along with us." I could tell she was watching me patiently, waiting for a response. "C'mon, you can cut the tutoring session short for one day... besides, Yukihiro has been asking about you a lot lately." There was a curious flicker in her eyes, but I couldn't place my finger on what she'd been looking at.
Honestly, I would rather have stayed even for the short remainder of the tutoring session. I didn't have any interest in Yukihiro though according to Mitsune he was 'always asking about me'. "I don't know..." I looked to Seta hoping he would tell me studying was more important.
His smile made my stomach drop like a stone into a well, "It'll be good for you to go out, you can't study forever. Besides, you need to enjoy your youth while you still can."
I hesitated, Mitsune's attention was on Seta and I had no idea what I should do. "Ah... Um, Seta could come with us too." I could see the quizzical stare from Mitsune trying to probe my brain. What could I say? My options had run dry.
Seta seemed a bit surprised but laughed, "I get the feeling I would be a little out of place. Besides, you'd have much more fun without me."
Did I mention Seta was a bit clueless? Well for once I was glad but I still felt like a stupid child, of course he couldn't be hanging around with a bunch of high school students. Not only did I feel like a child, I knew he saw me as one as well. But I couldn't stop my feelings, they seemed much too important at the time. So I agreed to go with Mitsune and her friends, to face the facts for the time being. Still, the feelings in my heart were an unstoppable freight train, ready to plow through every obstacle put in my path. Or so I thought.
Trudging footsteps passed by my secret little alleyway, I still lay cowered in the filth but I had no way of telling how long I had been there. Minutes? Hours maybe. My breathing had slowed to a normal pace but my heart still beat rapidly and a tight sickening feeling had welled up in my chest. Cold fear raced across my skin and as much as I wanted to run, my body and mind refused in their craving for rest and safety. So as I sat my mind began to clear and my thoughts came lucidly. I wondered what events had transpired in that room, and who was following me. In the end it ultimately made no difference, I'd been the source of the death though it had not been incurred by my hand.
Mitsune sighed, "He's so oblivious he won't even get it if you tell him your feelings flat out, he doesn't understand how serious a girl's feelings are. You should give up, that's what I did. There is really no use in fighting for it." I almost couldn't believe what she was saying, "Trust me Naru, there isn't a way you can win this time. I would know, I was in your exact situation." She gazed at me with a rare seriousness. "I learned from my mistake, you should take heed from both of ours." I stared at her in disbelief trying to comprehend what she'd said. "Actually," She continued without giving me pause to process this new finding, "I really gave up because of you."
I gazed at her with dumbfound wonder, "Wh-what do you mean?"
She shrugged, "Like I said, I decided to give up on Seta when I realized you liked him." The remark seemed so casual I didn't know how she managed.
I was silent for a moment, "So, even though he has a fiance you still had hope?" Until I came along, I thought repugnantly.
"I guess so... but listen, you should just give up too. Really, it is more painful than the whole situation is worth." Her voice was serious, driving the full ferocity of the situation. When Mitsune was serious you knew the business was vital.
In solemn reply I simply nodded, "Alright... I'll try." The words dropped from my mouth like stones.
I could tell it was dawn as the light spilled into the alleyway. I blinked as the suns rays washed over my face and body in a wave. My legs were now stiff and my arms lie dead at the sides of the body. Carefully I stirred and stood up, wobbling clumsily as I did so and bracing my body against the cold brick wall. I knew what I had to do, I needed to go back to Hinata Sou and find out the truth... I couldn't live a lie like that.
My mind pulsated with images of the terrible finding last night, the blood covering the floor and the slouching figure propped in the corner. Sounds of death pierced the walls and that was when I had run. I felt a visible shudder course through my body but I took the steps one at a time back towards Hinata Sou. Before I reached the top I could already see the uniformed figures moving about and the flashing lights of a civil servants vehicles. "Ah! What's going on?" I called out to one of them. How did they find out?
"Miss you can't be here right now." He said sternly.
"But I live here!"
He regarded me for a moment and turned to speak to someone, "We got a phone call about an hour ago, a young lady called confessing to everything."
...Mitsune. "Can I speak with her?" I asked, my mind on the verge of mental overload.
"I'm sorry I don't think-" But I ran past him before he could finish his answer. I don't think he understood, I needed to find her. I needed to understand why. I needed my answer, now. Weaving through the policemen I found her, sitting off to the side in handcuffs, an officer standing next to her although she looked as though her body would deflate. I walked over and got a suspicious eye from the guarding officer.
"I just need to speak to her... I won' be long and you don't have to leave." I pleaded. He seemed a bit dumbstruck by the request but warily nodded approval.
At my voice Mitsune's head had twitched up, she was staring at me now, her eyes dead save for a secret glimmer that must have appeared with my arrival. "Naru I..." She looked away from me. "I'm sorry. I didn't want either of us to be in pain anymore. I saw that look in your eyes when we were talking... I knew your pain, your sorrow. I decided to get rid of him... but Haruka found out." Her eyes were brimming with tears now. "I didn't plan to... But when she showed up I figured since she was part of the problem that it was only appropriate to get rid of her too. They'd be together in death and we'd finally be happy."
I watched my friend with pity, wondering what must have been going through her mind this whole time. "Kitsune... you went too far." I suddenly saw the hurt in her eyes and regretted the comment. "But I forgive you... You just wanted to protect me from your pain." I wanted to give her a hug and tell her everything would be all right, but it wouldn't be. Not this time. Yet, despite the terrible thing that had happened she was the best friend I'd ever had.
She nodded as the officer caught up and lead me away, scolding me gently and probably guessing that the trauma had gotten to me. I heard them mention something about asking me questions but I barely heard so I do not know. I cried as I treaded away, a foolish girl who's childish dreams had crushed the lives of the people she loved but spared her own.