Author's Note: Ah, welcome to chapter three of Eternally. I don't really like this chapter, just so you know. I just needed something to fill the spot. And this chapter has the "Great Phone Conversation" and an appearance by Hoshiko-chan. Yay. Thank you all for the comments, but I can't really say anything back because I am writing this before I have posted chapter two. I like to have my story finished then release it chapter by chapter. But that never happens. And I do not own D.N.Angel, but rather this particular plot line and a smattering of characters in the story.
ADD ON! Okay, I'm writing this right before the release. I just want to say...I don't like to beg for reviews, but they are nice, good or bad. 97 hits and 6 reviews. Makes me sad, su. I wanna know if thou likes it.(Eternally: Chapter Three)
Dark was heading on the way to school. Not only was he running late, but he also had to pick up a present along the way. Krad had kept him up all night, playing music loudly, 'in celebration of the good weather' he had replied serenely to Dark's complaints. And to add to all of it, Dark was most certainly not a morning person.
The flower kiosk was nearing. He pulled out his wallet-then hesitated. He had every intention to pay for it, he really did. But somehow…his fingers found themselves reaching out and pulling a violently red rose from a bouquet. The florist didn't even notice, he just waved a friendly hello to Dark, who smiled vacantly at him. Oh, how he loved the five-finger discount.
Nyoko-chan. Dark positioned himself right in the hallway so they would collide. She was with several friends, talking and laughing, throwing her gorgeously long dark, deep red hair out of her way now and then, it was absolutely mesmerizing. He awoke from his trance in a shock as they grew nearer. He laid his hand on the rose. Closer, closer, closer…here she was. He brushed against her and deposited the rose in her back pocket. Smiling to himself, he continued along his way.
"Hey!" Nyoko had the rose in her hand; she was trying to catch up to Dark, who was humming off-tune to himself, pretending not to notice. "Hey! Hey! DARK-KUN!" Dark could pretend no longer.
"Yes?" He asked innocently, painting surprise on his face. She pulled the rose out of her pocket. "Oh that…well…" He smiled mischievously.
Nyoko-chan fingered the rose, twirling it between her long fingers. Dark just watched the rose going back and forth, back and forth-was she a cheerleader? Her fingers move with ease and well-practiced movements. "Dark-kun, they all talk about you. They say you're such a player, such a flirt. And…there's no doubt that you're good at it." She pressed her lips softy against his. Turning away, with a smile, she hurried back to her friends without a word.
Dark knew what his ultimate goal was now. If he got a kiss for a simple paltry trick like that, he could only begin to imagine what would happen if he actually went on a date. Feeling significantly more generous, so much that he even thought kindly of Krad, Dark headed to his homeroom.
Toshi-chan was sitting in the corner talking to her friend when he arrived. Neither of them noticed him, and all the better. His seat was close enough that he could hear their conversation and by hiding his head underneath his desk, acting as though he was searching for a lost pencil, they wouldn't recognize him, though they were so absorbed in their discussion that he might as well have been invisible.
"And he kissed me, but then he said he didn't like me! He's a total cad!"
Her friend indignantly glared at her. "Dark is so hot! And he kissed you! Why are you complaining? Don't you know that half the girls in the school would kill to get kissed by Dark!"
"And the other half have already kissed him," Toshi-chan muttered darkly.
"So! Oh my god Toshi-chan, what's your problem?"
"I thought you guys were my friends! I wanted to talk to you and tell you because last night I was so upset! He was so mean to me, when I got home I was crying in my room for like an hour!"
"But you kissed Dark!"
Toshi-chan's face crumpled. "I hate you! I thought you would always help me…but your nothing but another fake, ugly, fat, stupid person who runs around chasing all those hot guys even though they have no good motives!"
Her friend's face was a deep and angry red now. "Yeah! Well, I thought you were a nice girl who was fun to talk to…but you're just another whiny bitch! I guess we were both wrong then!" She stood up and stormed to her desk, which was actually just the next one over, and shoved her nose in the air; not facing Toshi-chan. Toshi-chan sat at her desk, and did the same.
Dark thought Toshi-chan was being a little unfair. Sure, most times, he did really just want to see how much he could fish out a girl. But not always. Like with Hoshiko…but she was a special case. He felt a slight lurch in the stomach as he thought of her. He ought to call today, it had been awhile. Yes, a brief call then he would push her out of his mind for another four months. Thinking of her made him feel guilty, and he couldn't be feeling guilty if he wanted to hit thirty.
Krad was back on the bus today. He sat with Dark, though instead of his usual nonstop talk of nothing, he was silent, reading a manga entitled Candidate for Goddess. It was the same one he had picked up a few days ago, when Dark had announced that he was going to have Toshi over for a date.
Dark found Krad's silence a relief, and at the same time, slightly perturbing. His eyes wandered all around the bus, trying to find his next target (Nyoko-chan would take a while to get to, he had to keep himself entertained in the meantime), and then back to Krad. For once, Krad completely ignored him, completely wrapped up in his book. Shaking his head, he suddenly saw her. How could he have missed her? He grinned. Next target: Mai. She was fairly average, not shy, but not really outgoing either; pretty, but not beautiful; B's all around in her grades, nice but susceptible to mood swings. Last year, he had wanted to get to her, but he had ran out of time. He supposed that she was riding home with a friend, for she usually didn't ride this bus.
"Krad." Stepping gracefully off the elevator, he had to hurry to keep up with Krad. Whom was ignoring him. Dark felt slightly neglected, a little bit frustrated, and definitely uneasy. "Krad." He finally looked up.
"Mousy?" He shoved his key in the lock and jiggled it back and forth while studying Dark's face. Finally, it clicked and the door opened.
So, he at least he was paying attention to him. Dark, in addition to all his other emotions, was now feeling ashamed. Needing Krad's attention like that, needing his-dare he say it?-affection…shaking his head, he asked, "Krad, you have Yukitsuta Mai-chan in your class right? What's she like?"
Krad shrugged impassively and sat on Dark's bed, picking up his manga again. "Oh, so-so. She always makes such a big fuss over all the petty things in life."
"Krad, how many more chapters in that manga?"
"I'm on the last one. Why?"
Dark didn't answer. But there was something odd about. He couldn't place it, and not knowing irked him to endless regions of the netherworld. He left their bedroom and headed into the living room. He had to call Hoshiko-chan, it had been too long. Picking up the phone, he made himself comfortable on the couch.
"Hello, Yamaru residence, may I help you?"
"Yes…I'm looking for Hoshiko-chan."
The woman's voice on the other side changed from formal to pleasantly pleased. "Dark-kun! So nice to hear from you. I'll get her right away." Her mother was still as friendly as ever, Dark mused, a slight smile on his face. He remembered the one time he went to Hoshiko's house; she had practically offered him the moon. But she had to move after three dates…just when things were getting serious, it was as if fate was mocking him. Or maybe saving him. A voice on the receiver crashed his train of thought (killing two thousand). "Hello?"
"Hello, Hoshiko-chan."
"Dark-kun!"
Dark chuckled. "Didn't your mother say it was me?"
"No, of course not. She loves to keep people in the dark, you know that. However bad at that she may be…but anyway, how are you?"
"Fine enough, I suppose. You?"
"Ah, Kak-Sai is a school of hard knocks all right. But I'm surviving. Anything new, or special with you?"
"Yeah. I got my first date of the year, only twenty-nine to go. I'm trying to hook in a big fish, Nyoko-chan, you know? That'll be my…" He trailed off. Sometimes, he just felt so close with her that he couldn't help but to tell her about his social life. But she hated hearing how many girls he was with, he certainly had learned that the hard way. And to add icing to the cake, she and Nyoko were never really friends; they were enemies, at best.
"Ah, well, that's great, I suppose." She sounded uncomfortable and awkward. Dark strung the phone cord around his finger. What to say, what to say. "So…" Was she hanging up? Already? "Do you have any-"
"Hoshiko?"
Dark sat up angrily. "Krad! Get off the phone!"
Hoshiko chuckled. Unlike everyone else in the world, she had a strange connection with Krad. He didn't bother her, and he was fine with her. "Hello, Krad."
"Krad, get off! What are you doing!"
"Well, I was going to try to call someone. Imagine my surprise when I heard Hoshiko's voice on the line."
"Hoshiko-sama to you!"
"No, no, Dark, it's fine. How's it going Krad?"
Dark was feeling irked and neglected again. And since when where Hoshiko-chan and Krad so close? He still said 'chan' after all. "Oh, it's so-so. But, oh, oh, today I did an experiment, and I found out that Mousy really does like me, despite all he says!"
"That's great, Krad."
"Krad!" Candidate for Goddess, huh? Damn, damn, damn. Why did he have to an experiment in the first place? And why did he have to share it with Hoshiko? "Krad, asshole!" And he just slammed the phone back in its stand. Yes, he was acting like a child, but he felt justified. After all, he had just been a goddamn gerbil for Krad. And then he had to go screw up the whole damn conversation with Hoshiko…grabbing his house keys, he headed to the elevator. Whenever he was upset, his fingers began to call out. Maybe I really am a kleptomaniac, Dark thought fiercely, but at least I'm not an asshole!