AN: Woo! ME! Sorry…lots of school stuff AND writer's block. My humble apologies. Okay…a new thing {insert text here} = someone's thoughts, since "…" is too confusing with speech. Enjoy! I don't own anyone…except …Shishio's daughter. Oh, and thanks for the wonderful person who told me my poetry was good! REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please?!
"Misao!" Mr. Cole cried when he saw his prized student walk through the door into the reception. "What on earth are you doing?"
"This is my date, Mr. Cole. Soujiro."
"But….but…" Mr. Cole spluttered.
"But what, sir?" Soujiro smiled.
"You've got blue hair!" He cried.
"It's aqua, sir. Don't mind me, I'm just here to have a good time!" Soujiro replied merrily, escorting Misao to her table.
"Mr. Cole hates you." Misao smirked.
"How can you tell?" Soujiro asked cheerfully.
"He's wiping his forehead with his handkerchief. That means he's nervous. And he's glancing in an irritated manner toward you. That means he completely disapproves of your appearance and fears you will undermine my career in music."
"What an unpleasant man!" Soujiro cried happily. Misao shook her head. Soujiro was an oddly cheerful person.
***
Up...down. Which way? Side…to side. Left and right.
Kenshin fiddled with the knife, tracing lines along his pale skin. He wasn't ready to break through yet.
Why am I doing this again?
Hmm…just seemed like a good idea.
Kenshin hadn't cut himself since he was thirteen. He had hardly found any passion in it and gave it up out of boredom. But for some reason, today he felt like seeing blood. It didn't matter whose it was, but he was the only willing victim. Kenshin wanted to feel again, he wanted to see the beauty again.
He used to think he was crazy. Thinking that pain, destruction and darkness were beautiful. That was another reason he had pulled away from Lisa and Julie. He wasn't like them anymore. Just what was it that made the cold smell of a blade so appealing and lovely? What made the fall or a dark drop of blood so beautiful? What made pain so deliciously cruel?
"Insane," He muttered, putting away the knife. "I've gone insane.." Kenshin shook his head, trying to throw the strange morbid thoughts from his head.
Walking back into the living room he watched the peaceful Sanosuke sleep. Kenshin sighed, wondering if Sano would ever learn and just stop…stop doing all those drugs, get his life back on track. On sudden impulse, Kenshin grabbed the phone and dialed a number he hadn't used in a long time.
"Hey, you have reached Julie and Lisa, unfortunately we're not here right now so you can just leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. BEEP!"
"…Mama….Kasaan…I just called to say I love you. Uh...talk to you soon. Don't call me back….I'll just try again later." Kenshin hung up the phone, he was a little disappointed that they hadn't been home, but at the same time he was relieved. Things had to be taken slowly.
***
"Chicken….SUCKS." Aoshi muttered, tearing off his apron and hiding out in the bathroom for his break. He would not be caught dead standing idle in the place as if he had chosen to eat in the restaurant. Why people considered their food was beyond him. He stalked out of the bathroom, clutching his apron.
"Oooh, Aoshi the Chicken Man!" A boy and his friends laughed from a booth at the corner of the store.
"Don't make me shove fries up your nose." Aoshi grumbled back.
"Hey you, some napkins over here!" Someone shouted.
"Fuck off! I'm on my break!" Aoshi turned around and immediately regretted his words. Jeez, did ALL of his teachers have to eat at THIS particular restaurant?
Professor Shishio was glaring at him, and Aoshi knew he was in more trouble than he ever would have been with his Gym teacher, Hiko. Next to Shishio was his wife Yumi, and a little girl sat on her lap.
{Wait…back up a minute…} Aoshi thought. {Shishio has a daughter?! How the fuck did they…do…aw, that's sick.} Aoshi shuddered. The little girl giggled and jumped out of Yumi's lap.
"Hi! My name's Shina Makoto and I want to play!"
"Hi my name's Aoshi, go away."
Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes.
We adopted her from China since we…er…weren't able to have children of our own. Sweet little thing, isn't she?" Yumi cooed.
"Play with my daughter, Aoshi. I like to see her happy."
"No way!" Aoshi shouted. Shishio sighed.
"$50 in advance."
"Okay, what do you want to play, Shina?" Aoshi grumbled, hating to be bribed by Shishio. The little girl pondered for a bit, then lit up with another smile.
"I wanna play in the playground outside!" Shina shouted. Aoshi paled.
"You mean….that thing with the big slide and all that jungle gym crap and that closed in area with the stupid colored balls?"
"Yeah!"
"This is going to be a long day." Aoshi groaned.
***
"And for her outstanding performance, Misao receives the prized Vocal Excellence award for the 2002-2003 concert series. Misao, would you please say a few words for us?"
Misao nearly jumped out of her seat, but Soujiro pulled her down. She blushed, remembering the slit up the back of her dress.
"One, two, three.." Soujiro and Misao stood at the same time, walking up to the podium. Guests sniffed in distaste; this was Misao's moment, so why was this boy following her?
Misao smiled, and adjusted the microphone.
"It is truly an honor to have been awarded with Vocal Excellence. I've worked really hard, but I never dreamed I'd make it this far. Many thanks go out to my friends, who were there for me every step of the way, mostly my roommate Kaoru who had to put up with my practices late at night. Secondly I'd like to thank my instructor, Mr. Cole, who is the most music knowledgeable person I'm acquainted with." Misao said, while gripping her award.
"Also, I'd like to thank the…the…" Misao gulped and closed her eyes, continuing with clenched teeth, "…the love of my life, Soujiro." She turned to see his reaction, and was irritated to find him preening himself. She wanted to slap him. "Darling, your support means everything to me-"
"I just want to say that I'm so proud of you, Misao. I look forward to the day that we combine our musical tal- OW!" Soujiro coughed as Misao jammed her elbow into his side. There was no way in hell he was taking the spotlight from her.
"Anyhow, thank you all, it's really an honor. Soujiro, I…I…" she took a deep breath, "I love you!"
"I love you too!" Soujiro quickly pressed his lips against hers, to avoid any struggling. When Misao instinctively put her arms around him, Soujiro deepened the kiss.
"Awwww," the guests murmured. The two pulled back at the same time, breathing heavily and staring at each other in shock.
{What the hell?! That was real! That….that wasn't just some act. Soujiro….why?} Misao thought.
{That was real! She made it real….I made it real…} Soujiro's mind screamed at him.
They broke the gaze, and quickly returned to their seats.
***
Kaoru clutched her purse closer to her, and inhaled the sweet-scented breeze. She looked up at the gray sky and watched the trees shed their blooms; some of the petals settling in her hair. Her thoughts flew back to earlier in the day, when Kenshin had kissed her.
{That was so weird. I can't believe he did that. He's such a ….nasty, dark person.} Kaoru's thoughts enveloped her.
{Yuck…} Kaoru pressed her fingers up to her lips. {But he wasn't wearing any black lipstick. That's funny….he hasn't worn that since the first time I went over to his dorm.}
The sky was getting darker, and Kaoru decided it was time to go back to her dorm. She stepped off the curb and lifted her face to watch the clouds once more, savoring the scent on the breeze and the falling petals.
BEEEEEP!!!
{What?!}
SCREEEEEEETCH!!!
{Headlights!}
"Miss? Miss can you hear me?! Dammit, watch where you're walking? God…can you hear me? Miss?!"
{I….can't….feel anything…}
"Misao!" Mr. Cole cried when he saw his prized student walk through the door into the reception. "What on earth are you doing?"
"This is my date, Mr. Cole. Soujiro."
"But….but…" Mr. Cole spluttered.
"But what, sir?" Soujiro smiled.
"You've got blue hair!" He cried.
"It's aqua, sir. Don't mind me, I'm just here to have a good time!" Soujiro replied merrily, escorting Misao to her table.
"Mr. Cole hates you." Misao smirked.
"How can you tell?" Soujiro asked cheerfully.
"He's wiping his forehead with his handkerchief. That means he's nervous. And he's glancing in an irritated manner toward you. That means he completely disapproves of your appearance and fears you will undermine my career in music."
"What an unpleasant man!" Soujiro cried happily. Misao shook her head. Soujiro was an oddly cheerful person.
***
Up...down. Which way? Side…to side. Left and right.
Kenshin fiddled with the knife, tracing lines along his pale skin. He wasn't ready to break through yet.
Why am I doing this again?
Hmm…just seemed like a good idea.
Kenshin hadn't cut himself since he was thirteen. He had hardly found any passion in it and gave it up out of boredom. But for some reason, today he felt like seeing blood. It didn't matter whose it was, but he was the only willing victim. Kenshin wanted to feel again, he wanted to see the beauty again.
He used to think he was crazy. Thinking that pain, destruction and darkness were beautiful. That was another reason he had pulled away from Lisa and Julie. He wasn't like them anymore. Just what was it that made the cold smell of a blade so appealing and lovely? What made the fall or a dark drop of blood so beautiful? What made pain so deliciously cruel?
"Insane," He muttered, putting away the knife. "I've gone insane.." Kenshin shook his head, trying to throw the strange morbid thoughts from his head.
Walking back into the living room he watched the peaceful Sanosuke sleep. Kenshin sighed, wondering if Sano would ever learn and just stop…stop doing all those drugs, get his life back on track. On sudden impulse, Kenshin grabbed the phone and dialed a number he hadn't used in a long time.
"Hey, you have reached Julie and Lisa, unfortunately we're not here right now so you can just leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. BEEP!"
"…Mama….Kasaan…I just called to say I love you. Uh...talk to you soon. Don't call me back….I'll just try again later." Kenshin hung up the phone, he was a little disappointed that they hadn't been home, but at the same time he was relieved. Things had to be taken slowly.
***
"Chicken….SUCKS." Aoshi muttered, tearing off his apron and hiding out in the bathroom for his break. He would not be caught dead standing idle in the place as if he had chosen to eat in the restaurant. Why people considered their food was beyond him. He stalked out of the bathroom, clutching his apron.
"Oooh, Aoshi the Chicken Man!" A boy and his friends laughed from a booth at the corner of the store.
"Don't make me shove fries up your nose." Aoshi grumbled back.
"Hey you, some napkins over here!" Someone shouted.
"Fuck off! I'm on my break!" Aoshi turned around and immediately regretted his words. Jeez, did ALL of his teachers have to eat at THIS particular restaurant?
Professor Shishio was glaring at him, and Aoshi knew he was in more trouble than he ever would have been with his Gym teacher, Hiko. Next to Shishio was his wife Yumi, and a little girl sat on her lap.
{Wait…back up a minute…} Aoshi thought. {Shishio has a daughter?! How the fuck did they…do…aw, that's sick.} Aoshi shuddered. The little girl giggled and jumped out of Yumi's lap.
"Hi! My name's Shina Makoto and I want to play!"
"Hi my name's Aoshi, go away."
Tears welled up in the little girl's eyes.
We adopted her from China since we…er…weren't able to have children of our own. Sweet little thing, isn't she?" Yumi cooed.
"Play with my daughter, Aoshi. I like to see her happy."
"No way!" Aoshi shouted. Shishio sighed.
"$50 in advance."
"Okay, what do you want to play, Shina?" Aoshi grumbled, hating to be bribed by Shishio. The little girl pondered for a bit, then lit up with another smile.
"I wanna play in the playground outside!" Shina shouted. Aoshi paled.
"You mean….that thing with the big slide and all that jungle gym crap and that closed in area with the stupid colored balls?"
"Yeah!"
"This is going to be a long day." Aoshi groaned.
***
"And for her outstanding performance, Misao receives the prized Vocal Excellence award for the 2002-2003 concert series. Misao, would you please say a few words for us?"
Misao nearly jumped out of her seat, but Soujiro pulled her down. She blushed, remembering the slit up the back of her dress.
"One, two, three.." Soujiro and Misao stood at the same time, walking up to the podium. Guests sniffed in distaste; this was Misao's moment, so why was this boy following her?
Misao smiled, and adjusted the microphone.
"It is truly an honor to have been awarded with Vocal Excellence. I've worked really hard, but I never dreamed I'd make it this far. Many thanks go out to my friends, who were there for me every step of the way, mostly my roommate Kaoru who had to put up with my practices late at night. Secondly I'd like to thank my instructor, Mr. Cole, who is the most music knowledgeable person I'm acquainted with." Misao said, while gripping her award.
"Also, I'd like to thank the…the…" Misao gulped and closed her eyes, continuing with clenched teeth, "…the love of my life, Soujiro." She turned to see his reaction, and was irritated to find him preening himself. She wanted to slap him. "Darling, your support means everything to me-"
"I just want to say that I'm so proud of you, Misao. I look forward to the day that we combine our musical tal- OW!" Soujiro coughed as Misao jammed her elbow into his side. There was no way in hell he was taking the spotlight from her.
"Anyhow, thank you all, it's really an honor. Soujiro, I…I…" she took a deep breath, "I love you!"
"I love you too!" Soujiro quickly pressed his lips against hers, to avoid any struggling. When Misao instinctively put her arms around him, Soujiro deepened the kiss.
"Awwww," the guests murmured. The two pulled back at the same time, breathing heavily and staring at each other in shock.
{What the hell?! That was real! That….that wasn't just some act. Soujiro….why?} Misao thought.
{That was real! She made it real….I made it real…} Soujiro's mind screamed at him.
They broke the gaze, and quickly returned to their seats.
***
Kaoru clutched her purse closer to her, and inhaled the sweet-scented breeze. She looked up at the gray sky and watched the trees shed their blooms; some of the petals settling in her hair. Her thoughts flew back to earlier in the day, when Kenshin had kissed her.
{That was so weird. I can't believe he did that. He's such a ….nasty, dark person.} Kaoru's thoughts enveloped her.
{Yuck…} Kaoru pressed her fingers up to her lips. {But he wasn't wearing any black lipstick. That's funny….he hasn't worn that since the first time I went over to his dorm.}
The sky was getting darker, and Kaoru decided it was time to go back to her dorm. She stepped off the curb and lifted her face to watch the clouds once more, savoring the scent on the breeze and the falling petals.
BEEEEEP!!!
{What?!}
SCREEEEEEETCH!!!
{Headlights!}
"Miss? Miss can you hear me?! Dammit, watch where you're walking? God…can you hear me? Miss?!"
{I….can't….feel anything…}