Hi! I'm back and it's the same day that I wrote Chapter One. I'm addicted to my own fic XD

Disclaimer: I Do NOT own KKJ

Finding Hope

The Boy Next Door

Maron ran onto her balcony and fell to the ground crying.

"I hate him! I hate him!" She yelled.

She wished Fin were with her. She probably went to find some demons or something. At least she wasn't in the room when her father was.

She got up and looked at her room. She didn't want to go back inside.

"So, why are you up at 3am, crying?" She heard a voice say.

She quickly looked over to the next balcony.

"Chiaki?"

"That's me! Can I hop over there?"

"NO!" She said quickly.

"I'll come to you." She whispered and quickly jumped off her balcony and landed on his.

"Well, I guess you can't get enough of me!"

She didn't look up at him, "I just don't want to go back."

"Want to come inside?" Chiaki asked confusingly.

Maron nodded and Chiaki let her inside.

They both sat on the couch and sat silently. She didn't know why she came over here. She didn't even know him.

"So…how did you learn to jump over balconies like that?"

She sweat dropped. "Um…. I have no idea."

Maron laughed but started coughing. Her neck hurt really badly.

Flashback

Her step dad threw her onto the bed and got on top of her like Satsuki did earlier. She screamed really loud but then he grabbed her neck with both hands. She started crying and he squeezed tighter when she tried to make a sound. Next thing she knew she unconscious.

End of Flashback

"Are you okay?" Chiaki said handing her a glass of water.

"Oh I'm fine…"

He knelt down next to her and looked at her neck.

"It's all red."

She laughed nervously, "Um, don't worry about that…"

Chiaki lifted an eyebrow, "I don't believe you, and it looked like you were crying."

"I said not to worry about it. I um…" She didn't know what to say. Was she suppose to say she just gotten beaten by her dad and that she is okay with this?

"I was upset that I didn't get the homework assignment." She said quietly hoping he would believe her.

"Oh, I sent Minazuki there around 5pm to see if you needed help with your homework."

"Oh…I wasn't home. I went walking around that time." She lied.

Chiaki stared at her as if she was totally crazy. He sighed after a while. "Okay, I believe you."

"Good."

"So….um….tell me about your family." Chiaki said. He figured he might as well keep the conversation going.

She was silent for a while. Finally she responded, "My parents are dead."

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'm over it. I live with my stepdad and stepbrother."

"Oh, well at least you have someone to watch over you."

"…….yeah. What about you?"

Chiaki laughed, "Who needs parents? My mom died also and my dad….well let's just say I act more mature than him."

Maron was about to respond to that when she looked over and saw Fin waving.

"Um…I need to go out to the balcony for a few seconds to get air. Be right back!"

She ran outside and shut it. "What's the matter Fin?" she said almost out of breath.

"It looks like there is someone with the same power as you!" Fin said anxiously.

"Oh? There is another Jeanne?"

"No! The person has the same power, but he or she is working for the devil! You must be cautious Maron!"

Fin finally calmed down and just flew around in circles. "I didn't sense any demons around. But we need to be aware of things around us. We can't trust anybody!"

"Well in that case, I'm going back inside." Maron said.

"Wait, this isn't your balcony?" Fin said looking over and seeing a strange man sitting down.

"No, I can't go back for a while Fin. My father attacked me again."

"Argh! Why do you put up with him Maron! Let's run away!"

Maron sighed, "I wish Fin…I wish."

Flashback…again

Five-year-old Maron sat on her mom's bed. Maron knew her mother was going to die, and all she could do was watch.

"Maron…listen to me." Her mom said in a whisper.

"Yes, mother?" Maron said grabbing onto her mothers hand.

"I'm leaving this world, and I want you to live and look over your new father and brother."

"But…mom…"

"Please, for me. I love your father very much, both of your fathers."

Maron nodded and saw as her mother closed her eyes and never re-opened them.

End of Flashback

Maron sat back down on the couch. She noticed Chiaki didn't move or bother to look out the window door as she talked to Fin earlier.

"Well, it's 4am…you have school tomorrow." Chiaki said stretching.

"Oh…I can't go to school. We are getting new furniture and I have to paint the living room tomorrow." She sighed in disappointment.

"Oh that doesn't sound fun. Well in that case want to sleep here for another 2 hours?" Chiaki said smiling evilly.

"It's okay, if my stepdad finds out I'm gone, he'll kill me!"

Maron headed out onto the balcony and jumped onto her balcony.

"Hey Maron?" Chiaki said from across the balcony.

"Yeah?"

Chiaki smiled, "If you need someone to talk to, or if you need a place to stay, I'm open."

Maron smiled back and walked inside her room. It felt like she wasn't alone anymore.

The next day came by in a heartbeat. Maybe it was because she only had 2 hours of sleep.

She walked downstairs after getting ready and saw only Satsuki sitting at the table.

"Don't bother for breakfast…I'm going on a diet." Satsuki said rubbing his muscular stomach.

"You don't need it." She said trying to be on his good side.

"Well, father went on a business trip for about a week. I'm going to school." Satsuki got up. "I expect everything to be perfect by the time I come home. And oh, I have a date tonight and I won't be back till 11."

Satsuki walked off and sighed. She should have expected that he wouldn't stay with her and help.

After a couple of hours of painting, she fell to the floor exhausted. It wasn't the hard work she did; it was mostly the lack of sleep and the smell of paint that was getting her light-headed.

She got up again and looked around. She only had one more side to do and she would be done. She looked at the tiny brush her father had left. She sighed loudly and started to paint again.

After about an hour she stopped and noticed her head was really killing her. She felt like she was going to pass out, but she needed to get the job done quickly so the paint could dry. She couldn't take it anymore and fell on the ground.

"Woah, hey are you okay?" Chiaki said opening the door and finding Maron on the ground.

He picked her up and took her out into the hall.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"I thought you would need some help." He said winking.

"Oh..why aren't you in school?" Maron said finally able to stand on her own.

"I went for a while and thought you would be having more fun here than the classroom."

She laughed. "Well, I'm almost done…I can make something for lunch after I finish."

She started to walk and noticed her head was still hurting. This time, she fainted.

---

She woke up 3 hours later. She panicked when she found herself in her own room.

She quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the living room and gasped. The living room was finished, and new furniture was set.

She looked around and saw Chiaki sitting on the new couch.

"Oh my! Why did you finish it?" She was still staring in awe.

"Well, you were asleep when they delivered, and I guess your father didn't pay extra to have them move it in, so I just brought everything."

She quickly ran up to him and hugged him. "How can I repay you?"

Chiaki grinned and Maron sweat dropped.

"I'm just kidding. How about I treat you to dinner?"

Maron looked confused but nodded. "Wait…how did the paint dry so fast!"

Chiaki laughed, "Did you read the bucket? It said instant dry."

Maron laughed, "Well that explains it." She felt dumb now.

"Come on, let's go." She grabbed her hand and headed out the door.

"Wait! What time is it?" Maron said trying to stop him from pulling her.

"7pm, why?"

She sighed in relief, "Good…my brother is going to be home around 11pm."

Chiaki ended up taking her to a nice restaurant. Maron ordered at least 2 plates. Chiaki stared at her as she quickly ate all her food.

"Wow, where did you learn to eat that much?" Chiaki asked as they headed out the door.

"Oh…I've always been an eater!" Maron grinned.

She stopped and pointed across the street, "Hey Chiaki! Let's get some ice cream!"

She ran across the street, not letting Chiaki answer.

"Maron!" Maron stopped on the sidewalk and say Fin running up to her.

"There is a demon on the loose! Let's go get it!"

She sweat dropped and turned to face Chiaki, "Um never mind about the ice cream, I need to go home…bye!"

Chiaki watched as she ran out of sight and smiled, "Well, I guess Jeanne is going to appear tonight…right Access?"

A little angel flew up to his face and smiled, "Right, Sinbad! Let's go stop her!"

---

Nyaaa!

I know…I'll have more Maron/Chiaki later…I just wanted to let Chiaki and Maron get to know each other more :3

Angel