Chapter IV----A look back
The door opened quickly, the light from the open window striking her eyes fiercely; but it couldn't matter less to her, not at this point in time at least. She could remember the past scene as if she was there again. From the moment she and Hiro had arrived to the school's courtyard, to the moment he gave Jeremie a handful of drawings of some unknown character. All was crystal clear, they were going to give Hiroshi a crash course on Lyoko the next afternoon, she even remembered the soft grins on the three teenager's faces, as if they had finally known that Hiroshi was, in fact, deserving of his inclusion into the team, of course before they had agreed to the reunion Jeremie asked some rather irrelevant questions, yet it didn't matter to her, not when the final result turned out as she had desired.
Quickly changing into something more comfortable, she sat on her desk and saw the beautiful sight that lived outside of her window; her mind regressing to the first her and Hiroshi had met; it was mid-winter…she had gone out to a small concert they were having at a new club, the Giovanni Night Club. She had gone in wearing her quite mesmerizing miniskirt and a black blouse that seductively revealed her lower abdomen and showed just the right amount of cleavage, just enough to draw cute guys in. The fore night she had fought with her secret love, Ulrich, and was simply looking to let her mind relax. The band playing was a Spanish band from Madrid "La tercera muerte"; they played rather light black metal, which was beginning to interest her.
The evening went by rather conventionally; she had been sitting alone in a table, witnessing the ongoing mosh pits and head banging. The music soothed her, its melodies driving deep into her as the rugged vocals kept her senses in this realm of consciousness. She couldn't really understand a word they said, until a familiar figure walked towards her table
-Yumi Ishiyama, if I'm not mistaken- he spoke, his voice also quite rough; similar to the singer's
–I'm Hiroshi Nakano Yamabuki, though those that know me call me Hiro- he added, pulling out a chair –May I?-
The girl nodded, astounded to see this fellow here; she knew him, though just by name. He was one of the best philosophy students in her class, more than once he had made her question her current state of reality, yet she had stayed away from the kid; an instinctive feeling causing her to distrust him. She couldn't figure it out exactly, were it his hurried and almost bestial stride trough the school's courtyard, or his constant self ramblings during school time. Though she knew of some guys that did this for pure attention, something told her Hiroshi did not. Either his lost gaze into the blackboard or his almost random walking patterns.
She nodded, her senses analyzing everyone of the teenager's movements
Taking seat rather comfortably, he yawned, spreading out his arms –too soft for my tastes, but they've got a future in the business-
-You know them?- she asked absently, not really caring for the answer
Yet Hiroshi replied without noticing her alertness –The bassist is an acquaintance, though I'd like to say that he's going to do the band more harm than good; I used to play with them-
-Play?- the word caught her attention
-I was in that band before I moved to France, of course it was before they went Black and commercial…we used to be called "Holocausto"…we played Heavy Metal…but nowadays no one likes vintage metal…it's all nü and black to the masses-
-So you don't like this band?- she asked again, now gaining a slight interest in the chat, while still keeping her senses on high alert
-Well…to put it this way…once you've heard Moonspell, you'll know this is just a useless and commercial copy…- he turned around, glancing at his surroundings –where is everyone getting their drinks?-
-There's a stand near the entry- she answered reflexively
-Thanks for the information; I'll be right back- replied the boy, standing up and walking away from the Asian girl.
Yumi hadn't thought about it before, but the kid's attitude differed from what she had seen in school. He moved gallantly and swiftly through the masses, his speech didn't have the usual severity of in-class participations; even his stare, which she had witnessed a couple of times during the day, lacked the anger with which he glanced at the usual passerby. It was until this point when she noticed his attire; a black, closed trench coat identical to those used during cold days, though it appeared made out of an impermeable material. His hair remained spiked as usual yet his hands were covered by a pair of half-fingered gloves.
Minutes later the male returned with a couple of drinks in hand
-Don't worry, they don't contain alcohol or anything of the sort-
The night passed by as both teens spoke and discussed about their lives, Yumi finding in this character a new friend, though her instincts still didn't welcome him; while the boy found in her something much deeper…and obviously impossible.
Her cell phone rang, interrupting her travel to past livings
-Your weekend minutes are about to run out, remember, you can always…-
CLICK
Bothersome phone companies
Her mind trekked away from the subject a pair of minutes before she could focus once more on her past with Hiroshi.
A couple of days had gone by after the concert, it was Thursday now and the school day had just ended. In Yumi's classroom an air of defeat and anxiety roamed, the phrase "Tomorrow, Philosophy test, Descartes and the Renaissance, score is 50 of bimestrial grade" written with certain malignity on the chalkboard.
Everyone left, their heads hanging low; everyone except Hiroshi of course, seeing as he had delivered a special essay a couple of days back that both earned him an instant 100 on the test and the teacher's disgust, since he had proven that the renaissance was more of a philosophical tragedy rather than the miracle everyone treated it like.
Ever since the concert, she hadn't talked to the boy apart from the courteous "Hi's" and "Hello's" her morality demanded. Yet now it was necessary for her to speak to him. Due to the strangely constant XANA disturbances she had missed the most necessary classes relevant to next day's test; she was stuck, she wouldn't normally ask anyone else for help, though now it seemed as if no one apart from the strange Hiroshi had actually understood the teacher's bizarre teaching methods.
As she approached the boy from behind, her instinctive alert suddenly struck, causing her to accidentally (but not unwontedly) give a strong pull on the kid's shoulder knocking him to the ground with ease.
-Well…do it then…kick me you idiot!- commanded the boy, his back facing the girl –Or will you just turn away and run, coward!- he turned abruptly, launching his open palm to were he suspected the attacker's neck to be, yet he noticed the girl in time to change the trajectory of his hand towards Yumi's shoulder, faking the need for support –Yumi! You scared me…why did you knock me down?- he tried to say innocently, regaining his composure once again. There were a couple of students nearby, but they knew of Yumi's skills in Martial crafts and of Hiroshi's oddity, and simply dismissed the event as a consequence of something the boy had done.
-Sorry Hiroshi, guess I don't know my own strength- she said coldly, though it was meant as a joke, her still alerted instincts hadn't allowed for her tone to relax –Are you ok?-
-I was once involved in a fight with a kid twice my size…believe it or not that simple tug hurt me more than his haymaker- he replied, though his everlasting seriousness gave the joke an air of truthfulness –I'm guessing you wanted to talk about something important- he continued, wiping away some dust his shirt had picked when on the floor.
-Yes, you see…- she began to speak, yet was interrupted by the boy.
-You didn't come to the important classes now you need a quick and easy way to study, thus you think my paper will help you out- he said, not trying to sound like a smartass, but rather an alert fellow, yet this didn't go as planned, for the girl had felt the comment as an attack; sadly though, her pride was something that had to be put on hold, for now at least. –Yes, can you give me a copy?-
He searched his only notebook, trying to find a copy somewhere among the mess –Sorry, if you want one you either have to wait for tomorrow or you can accompany me to my house and I can print out another one, don't worry though; my car's on the lot-