Important Notice: This chapter event happened before Hiromi arrived in her home (See last part of previous chapter) caution:major cursing and assaulting
Character Bios
Kon Rei
The nicer version of... Inuyasha! Well.. at least he is in my fic...
Hiwatari Kai
I don't really see any difference... if you do, please tell... I'll change it :D
Bloodstained Eyes
Prelude IV
"So... what's your point?"
SMACK!
"You imbecile," Kai barked, hitting Takao's head for the fifth time of the day. The blue-haired boy stifled a cry and rubbed the lumps on his scalp, muttering incoherent cusses under his breath.
"I'm just saying," Rei repeated more tediously. "That we aren't dealing with the normal mafias back there. And they weren't just after anyone they see or choose…"
Takao stuffed his cap on his pocket and entwined his arms together across his chest, frowning. Even as he tightened his crossed arms together on his stomach, the pain still hadn't subsided. And he hated it when someone he disliked hit him, no matter how long he met them.
"You're saying those gangs aren't like the bullies that came to our school before," he muttered.
Rei nodded monotonously. Although, he couldn't help raise an eyebrow when Takao huffed exaggeratedly, moving his arms behind his head. Like he didn't give at all. Unseeing, his troubled mouth curved up at the boy's great confidence.
The fool still has his pride. I sure heck won't be blamed if his pride gets too much of him… again.
"They did look a little more dangerous than the ones Takao fought before," Max stated.
"Uh, excuse me," Kenny mumbled dully, "but I do remember how we always end up joining him. Not only that, Takao's made everyone in the school their savior. And now he's got the whole gangs in the city stalking him 'cause of his self-esteem!"
Takao grinned and smacked Kenny on his back, laughing idiotically. Kenny yelped and staggered, catching his glasses as it nearly fell off his nose.
"Relax, buddy," Takao assured him. "It's not like I always make you fight with me."
"Actually, you do," Kenny muttered silently, despite they didn't hear him.
"And if they do come back, we can't do anything but chase them away," Rei told them. "Even if they're older. We can't have any of our classmates in trouble."
Takao chuckled.
"I said RE-LAAAX!" he beamed, in spite of the low threatening growl under his tone. "I can take care of it! And if I can't do it myself… I'll force you guys to help me!"
He laughed again, creating comical glares right at him from his friends.
"That's what you always do," they grumbled in chorus.
Ignoring their overstatement, Takao turned left from a corner. His friends followed his amble.
"So they're gonna come back then, huh," he said, moving his gaze up at the cloud-filled sky. "And they're after one person."
"Yeah."
"Nevertheless, I don't think whoever they're looking for wasn't in school," Kenny pointed out.
"Yet," Kai added quickly. "I bet you they will come back. And whoever they're looking for isn't in school… yet."
"So…" Max crammed his hands on his dark emerald jacket pocket. His gazed motioned to Rei, whom was calmly walking on the sturdy metal fence that fissured between the houses and the road. "Did you hear anything about this guy they're after?"
Rei shook his head, bringing up his arms crossed on his chest.
"In fact…" he murmured, but trailed off a bit. "They didn't mentioned anything about a guy."
Takao chortled.
"What, you're saying they're after just one person and it's a girl?" he asked humorously, scratching the back of his head. "Like... a girl? People with bigger chest and ass than us? Those freaky people that always talk about make-up, nail polish, and boys?"
A moment past before Rei answered. No one caught the darkened shadow that streaked his face behind his messy pair of black front hair. Nor did they catch a flustered low gnarl under his breath.
"Actually, they are," he responded. "But I doubt they would describe her as crudely as you just did, Takao."
"That's disgusting!" Kenny cried. "Just who do they think they are!"
"Rapist," Takao answered. "Who knows what they'll do to whoever-girl they're after."
"I don't think they're here to just molest her," Kai exclaimed. "There should be more to it than violating some simple girl."
"What else did you hear, Rei?" Max questioned.
Somehow, whatever Max had said, it irked Rei. He clenched his entwined arms harder and tensed up a bit, moreover continued his trek on the frontier fence. Comparable as to a tiger or a cat, his extensive ponytail swung anxiously behind him.
Utter stillness were his answers, while he concluded his reply into something understandable. A minute passed before he reached the end of the fence, which curved pointedly to the right. Rei frowned and lightly hopped onto the ground beside Max.
"I didn't hear any more," he responded quietly. "But I do know one thing."
"And what's that?" Takao asked, although he didn't care.
If he wanted to fight, he would do it blindly if he wanted. Despite how much stubborn he is and his lack of caring about strength but his own, he was recklessly clever.
And if worse were to come, he was gifted with a talent to figure out a plan in the midst of a careless fight. But it wouldn't really hurt to know one thing or two about his new opponents.
"We aren't dealing with any common gangs," Rei replied. "Trust me, they're pretty slick and sharp."
"And how would you know that?" Kenny asked. "They're just trying to act tough like the others Takao tried to beat."
"The one Takao fought," Rei answered. "He's what I worry most."
"And why is that," Kai murmured.
"He can detect my stealth," was the simple reply, " and he's the first, besides Kai, to notice me stealth my best. But next to Kai… that guy is sharper."
Takao spluttered skeptically and gawked at the neko-jin.
"You're kidding me, right?" he exclaimed aloud. "That guy. He knew you were there. And he noticed you?"
Rei nodded resolutely, but shot Takao a glare.
"Don't make it sound like I'm not so smart at keeping myself away," he muttered. "I did my best to stay hidden."
Takao waved his hands defensively.
"I know, I know!" he said. "Jeez, take a chill pill and relax, buddy. I'm not saying you're not so sly no more. And it's not like the whole neighborhood knows that their neko-jin boy is losing his talent."
"Yeah," Max patted Rei on the back reassuringly-er, on his heel hence he so high up. "We're with you, Rei. And we'll kick their butt and beat the heck out of them if they think they've got a talent better than yours."
Rei stayed silent, unsure and confused for some reason.
"I guess," he mumbled.
"And don't forget," Takao smirked wickedly, and held out a finger to point to his chest. "This boy gets the first triumph. And my dibs on that jackass that kicked me on the stomach."
"Whatever," Kai muttered. "It's not like you can beat them by your self."
Takao gave a comical glare towards him, he pouted and crossed his arms defensively.
"Remember," Kenny added. "Don't try to get suspended again. You do remember the time you almost got expelled, do you! And you've managed to get me suspended twice! Now I can't focus on getting my A's!"
Takao laughed half-heartedly.
"C'mon, Kenny, my homework-doer," he beamed. "Last time I remembered that you had a C-plus in physics!"
"That was my lowest grade ever, you nut," Kenny argued.
Takao held his hands up behind his head once more and laughed idiotically.
"C-plus is the only highest grade I ever get!"
"'Cause you're stupid," Kai told him.
Takao glared at him again.
"What's that?" he asked, leaning towards him with open ears. "At least I never failed a subject… unlike you! STUPID! HAHA!"
He pointed a forefinger at Kai and laughed merrily. He received a large smack on his head again, growing a sixth lump on the side of Takao's head.
"Ow! Hey, what the hell was that for, you dumb—"
"Enough!"
Both Takao and Kai halted to their arguments and closed their mouth when Rei and Max stared at them with an odd expression. Takao sighed.
"I guess this isn't a good time to argue with you again," he mumbled.
Kai shrugged.
"It never is," he answered. "And there's no use arguing with a dumbass like you when you can never win."
Takao flared his eyes and leaned towards Kai.
"Could you repeat that again, Hiwatari?" he asked irritably. "That sure is strange coming from a guy who's dumber than me."
"So, you're dumb, too."
"You're dumber."
"No, you are."
"Like hell I'm not!"
"Enough!"
Takao and Kai stopped to look at Rei. The neko-jin rolled his eyes and pursed his lips.
"You're both dumb," he told them. "Now, can you two just shut up for a moment? People are staring."
"And Takao," Kenny began. "Weren't you supposed to have guests coming at your place fifteen minutes ago?"
Takao frowned.
"The hell are you talking about—?"
When he checked his wristwatch, he screeched at least ten utter impieties and started running.
"Shit!" he cried. "Sorry, guys, I gotta go! I wasn't supposed to be late! We'll finish our argument tomorrow, Kai, and be prepared!"
Kai watched him turned to his right and when he was out of sight, he huffed a hard breath and rolled his eyes.
"Idiot," he muttered. "It's a wonder how an idiot like him's able to beat so many thug."
"That's our Takao," Rei muttered. "He's clever, but not smart. If you get what I mean, that is."
"Oh, we all do."
He didn't know why he lived so far away from his school. It usually took him half an hour to get back to his house but he still had five minutes left and ojiisan was not going to be happy.
"Goddammit, old man," he muttered. "If you could've lived your life knowing how to drive a car, I wouldn't have to use my damn legs every week walking and running back and forth from home to school."
He picked up speed, yelling at people in his way to move out or else. He was close to reaching the small bridge that intersected a small riverbank, but he still needed to have a quick turn to the right to reach the grassy lands.
He was in shape, yes. He needed to be in great condition to kick people's butt, although he lacked the eat-less-or-get-fat. He was nothing without food, no matter how many times he ate. He was still muttering incoherent words until he could take a sharp right turn and head straight back to his—
SMACK!
He fell on his rear with full impact as he went smack straight into something soft. He groaned in pain and rubbed the pain in his back.
"Oooww," he cried. "That's gonna give me more lumps."
He opened his eyes and realized that he had collided into someone. And as he squinted his eyes, he realized it was a girl.
"Oh. Shit," he murmured. "Uh, sorry 'bout that… err."
He wasn't sure he should call her a miss or a ma'am or girl. All of them seemed impolite. Either way, he quickly stood up and reached out a hand towards the fallen girl.
To his surprise, the girl gave him an angry glare, her brows furrowing deep above her long lashes. She didn't get up for a few moments, trying to comb the strands of chocolate hair out of her eyes. She gazed at her short white skirt, now stained the cement dirt. When she tried to brush the dirt away, it didn't came off.
Takao backed away, as he was receive with an even more evil glare. He held out his hands defensively.
"I said sorry!" he protested.
When he held out his hand again for her, she glazed her enraged glare at it and then up at him. Takao frowned when the girl stood up by herself. Again he was stuck if apologizing again could help.
The girl wasn't tall, nor was she short. Likely, she was five inches shorter and looked his age. She rubbed the dirt off her firm black sleeveless top that wrapped her neck and brushed dirt off her pale bare arms.
Takao cleared his throat uncomfortably, scratching his right temple. What was he supposed to do now? All he wanted to do right now was to continue running towards his home and make sure ojiisan wasn't angry for his tardiness. But leaving a girl he had bump hard into was also impolite.
"Listen," he began, "I, uh, need to get going now… so, uh… if you can just—"
Before he could finish, the girl sent him another icy glare, her odd black eyes barely shining. And before long, she silently brushed passed him, not even bothering to say anything. Takao frowned and turned to look over his shoulders.
How rude, he mused to himself. I sure hell would be proud never to see her again.
In a short time, he regained conscious to reality and began running as fast as he could. By the time he got home, he was scolded by ojiisan, who smacked him hard with both of his hands, giving the boy yet another huge lumps on his head.