Bloodstained Eyes
Prelude VII
CRASH!
All eyes, instead, turned to look at Takao, who had fallen off his chair and sat gazing at the new student with stunned eyes.
Oh, crap!
He gave a loud groan, both from I-can't-believe-this-is-happening and oh-shit-that-hurts, and rubbed his rear painfully, standing up to seat back to his chair, avoiding eye contact from anyone.
"Could this day get any worse?" he muttered lowly to himself.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Kinomiya?" both teacher and principal asked him.
Oh right…
Takao had to remember that he was known by every teachers principal, nurses, school cops, and students in this school. He had received so many treatments from them—especially from ojiisan—at his school behavior and attitude but he had never really gotten a pretty serious punishment since he was (hehe) 'sacred'.
At least that was what Kai and Max told him after he had 'saved' the lives of a few lot of his classmates' ass by thugs and bullies. And, hey, maybe a few more of other kids' puny asses he didn't know.
Principal Euda raised an eyebrow and peered at the blue-haired boy with concerned. What was Takao getting himself into again? He thought to himself.
"Nothing, nothing," Takao answered and propped his chin back onto his palm, staring glumly out the window.
Mr. Tanuki frowned. He had observed this boy, Takao, in class ever since last year. And from what he knew… the boy had never really shown much interest in anything. He had tried to outwit him with exams that were never really marked as grades but all it ever did was twitch his monotony and caused a huge commotion to 'why in hell are we even doing something that's got nothing to do with our grades!'
At least, that's what Takao had reproached, which sent the whole entire class in agreement.
Much to anyone surprise, Principal Euda gripped the new student's shoulder and bent lowly to whisper in her ear, "don't worry about that young man over there. He's just a troublemaker. I suggest that you not involve with any of his activities."
To his surprise, the girl didn't seem to care at all. Shrugging and gripping the handle of her shoulder bag, Hiromi Tachibana politely asked the teacher where she would sit. As soon as she was implied to her new seat, Hiromi gracefully left her spot and sat down behind Takao.
The whole class stayed quiet, a few coughing nervously at the oddity of the girl's facial expression. She glided through the class with such quiet elegance that she moved as if she was in the shadows, crawling humbly at any darkness she could find.
Everyone, except Takao at the least, moved uncomfortably to their seats. Takao merely yawned and continued gazing out the window, often closing his eyes lazily at times.
"So… err… I'd like you all to meet Hiromi Tachibana," Principal Euda cleared his throat. "She had just arrived here in Tokyo… two weeks ago? Yes… a transfer, I believe."
Hiromi quietly nodded, gripping the hem of her white sweater, her hands on her lap. From the front, Takao gave a low groan of lethargy, his face like an old man. He tried not to turn and look behind him.
Yay, he thought duskily, could this day get any more boringer. Meaningless exams… now this… chick!
"Let's just hope it won't get any scarier," he muttered to himself.
"Well, I'm off now," Principal Euda fixed his black tie and cleared his throat once more. He stepped out of the class before turning to look at Takao with whimsical eyes. "I expect you and you're friends to behave well just for today, Kinomiya. I'll see you sometimes today if you get any more trouble. I'm off!"
And he left, leaving Takao huffing out an air angrily.
"I'm not a troublemaker, you clod!" he growled angrily, shaking out a fist.
Mr. Tanuki scowled.
"That's two strikes for you, then," he chided, calmly. "One more and you'll be in the hallways for the rest of your life."
Takao grunted and went back to staring out the window, chin on palm. Max laughed and peered over Takao.
"Hey, I like this teacher," he told the blue-haired. "He actually knows how to control you in class!"
Takao shot him a death-glare as the blond laughed evilly.
"Yea, yea," he grumbled. "Shut yer trap, you."
"Well, regardless," Mr. Tanuki began. "Hiromi Tachibana, would you like to tell us anything about yourself?"
"No."
The answer, the coarse hard-hearted reply came out quickly then anyone could even hear it. It was like a reflex, acting out as soon as the teacher's words were finish. The tone of her gruff yet soft voice gave an attention too all that wasn't even paying attention at all. Including Takao.
He snapped his sleepy head up and sluggishly turned to look back at the new kid. Mr. Tanuki observed the new student.
"Pardon?" he asked, quite unsure what she really said.
And from all the way back of the class, behind Takao and beside two girls, Hiromi just stared at the teacher with those black eyes that made him uncomfortable after seeing them yesterday. Hiromi merely stared at the teacher.
"I'm sorry," she replied, her tone strangely odd. "But I said no."
Several students cleared their throat. Max and Kenny exchanged glances and Takao simply frowned, trying to put his gaze back out the window, trying so hard to sleep instead of dealing with this weird situation anymore.
And that… was how Takao had his first awkward day before lunch.
"You really are annoying me."
Kai glared and snatched the food Takao had jacked from his lunch tray. The greedy bastard growled back and quickly gobbled down what seems to be the last piece of his burger, and smiled. Kai glowered as evilly as he could (more evilly than he looked everyday), gripping his soda can too hard that it burst from his grasp.
Rei yelped beside him and hopped off his seat, barking as the brown stain sank into his white Chinese garments, now ruined.
On the other side of the lunch table just outside the school cafeteria and near the grass field, Max and Kenny chortled and laughed. They peacefully ate their lunch, observing the intense battle going on in front of them.
"Geez, you jerk!" the neko-jin roared.
Kai smacked Takao on the head before Rei smacked him on the back, sending the gray-haired toppling on the ground, punching Takao down with him.
"This is my best clothes! What did... " Rei stopped and took a deep breath. "Yelling doesn't help... yelling doesn't help."
"Nothing. But now that you mentioned it, quite a lot." Kai growled and turned to look at Rei, bolstering on his knees and hands, giving him a glare.
"Tell me you didn't just do that," he snarled.
Takao grunted and stood up gradually, rubbing his head slowly, and placing his cap back on. Turning to look at Kai and Rei with a pout, he crossed his arms.
"I believe he did," he responded coolly.
Kai turned to glower at him then quickly stood up. Brushing his baggy large black pants, he racked his ashen hair with fingerless-gloved hand and went back to sit on his chair, continuing his lunch. He munched peacefully, ignoring the threatening look Rei and Takao was sending him from behind.
Max sniggered and turned to look at Kenny.
"Isn't it fun watching them?" he asked the brains.
Kenny nodded enthusiastically, biting into his burger.
"And the attention they always have around people," he replied.
Takao scoffed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he admonished with a slightly annoyed brow, twitching up and down.
"And what the hell am I suppose to do now in school with"—Rei grabbed Kai's shoulder and turned him around to show him the bronze blot on his garment where it spread around his abdomen—"this, you dolt!"
As a peaceful and calm being, Rei only cussed when needed... or angered. This was just one of those days...
Kai gave him a wicked grin.
"Go wash it then, stupid," he answered calmly. "It's not like it's permanent."
"It's soda, cod."
"It's washable."
"What if it's not!"
"Then buy another one."
Rei shot him an incredulous gaze; his golden eyes flickering like a nervous cat. The ponytail behind him flew up as he bent down to answer him with panic, a hint of fear in his voice.
"I can't!" he cried. "Mao-chan bought this for me and she told me it's one of a kind! How the fuck do you expect me to explain to her that I got this… this big fat stain on it!"
"Relax," Kai closed his eyes peacefully and grabbed Takao's soda, drinking it slowly, excluding Takao's angry screeches. "It's only a small blotch. She'll forgive you."
Rei gawked at the smoldering stain on his chest, as it slowly spread around to his side. Flexing his sharp nails at him, Rei growled.
"Small?" he questioned. "Do you know what Mao-chan does when she sees this! OR when she's angry!"
Kenny laughed.
"Ooh," he cried, smiling. "I remember! The last time you got her upset, she—"
Takao laughed out loud, smacking the table repeatedly, it nearly broke in half.
"She practically threw you off that bridge near my house!" he sniggered noisily. "You're lucky that bridge wasn't that big."
Seeing the look on Rei's face stopped him. He marched beside Rei and patted his back.
"Relax, buddy," he assured him. "It's temporary. It'll come off when you wash it. It's not like Mao-chan's gonna grab a sword and shove it down your throat and slit it open and make sure your heart bursts out and have you get…"
He paused, thinking, then smiled.
"Well," he added, "she might—but don't worry, pal!"
The encouragement Takao had given him before the last statement gave Rei hope, until he said the unthinkable and sent his hopes sliding down rock bottom. Sitting back to his seat, he glumly continued to eat.
A mere minute had passed when all was back to its old life. The crowds that had been staring at the three loudmouths had gone back to eating their own lunches and or playing with their games with others. Kenny and Max completed their meal, whereas to Takao still complained for more food.
On the other hand, Kai had asked Kenny to switch seats with him; else the blue-hair might jack his dessert. Rei, who was gloomily eating his tempura with a glimmer of worry in his golden hawk-like eyes, stayed quiet for the rest of the conversation, talking when necessary.
"So anyways," Takao began, "That damn ojiisan made me sleep outside again. I was only late for a family dinner."
He rolled his eyes and took some of Rei's fries, stuffing them into his mouth.
"Besides," he mumbled. "Only my cousins and aunts came. It's not like they're important."
"We've never met them yet," Max said. "Actually, we've barely met any of your relatives, Takao."
"Psh," Takao huffed. "They aren't important. I barely know them anyways."
"You're a nice relative to have," Kenny told him sarcastically, whilst Takao gave him a 'thanks' in equal humor.
Kai finished his lunch and crossed his arms, closing his eyes. It was a habit he did when he knew there would be nothing to do after whatever he had just done.
"Max told me you have a new student," he spoke.
He opened his eyes in surprised, as Takao groaned before his head fell unto the table with weary.
"Why did you bring that up?" he asked.
"What's wrong with her?" Max asked.
"Her?" Kai chided.
"Her," Takao stated. "That… that cruel chick I met yesterday. I bumped into her—well, I ran into her—no, CRASHED into her. After that, she wouldn't even say sorry after I said sorry to her!"
"What's wrong with that?" Rei mumbled, playing with her empty plate.
Takao gawked at him and opened his eyes really wide, making an odd expression into them.
"She looked at me with… with those freaky black eyes of hers, ok!" he cried. "She looked at me like she was going to burn my ass and stuff my throat with nails and knives! She was a killer!"
Kenny sighed.
"Don't overdo your imagination, Takao," he breathed exasperatedly. "No one can look at you like that. Except an angry Rei or Mao-chan or Kai, that is."
"You mean just Mao-chan," Rei grumbled.
"Well, who cares," Takao grouched. "The girl isn't really important. Besides, it's a girl, so I'm not interested. Girls go way down at the bottom of my list."
"And you're number one would be?" Kai questioned, although he knew it already.
Takao beamed, and crossed his arms, chin high in the air.
"That," he answered, "is saving those weak-asses' ass. That's why you guys are with me, eh, eh, eh, right?"
Max chortled.
"We have no choice," he told him. "And for once, I have to admit, you're the only one in this school who's as enthusiastic and uncivilized in this school and it's no fun not knowing anyone who isn't."
Takao shot him a pissed off look.
"Uncivilized," he repeated. "What the hell do you mean by 'uncivilized'?"
"It means you're the only one we've got whose stupid, idiotic, dumbass, and one that can back us up," Kai coughed.
Takao grinned and smacked the table with enthused.
"Damn right!" he said. "And I'm sure you guys would back me up even if I have to force you all!"
Didn't he even bothering listening to Kai properly? Kenny mused.
"Who knows," Rei piped in slowly, grinning. "I think Takao really needs to put girls as his second number."
Kai, Max, and Kenny snorted. Takao scowled.
"What makes you think I'll ever do that?" he huffed. "Girls aren't important, you know. They're just a bother, and they're odd. And they'll messed up your life… like Rei."
Rei gave him his dangerous-tiger look. Takao moved his hands up defensively.
"It's true!" he cried.
To his surprise, Rei sighed wearily.
"You're half right," he pointed out.
"See?" Takao said. "Like hell I'm ever gonna get close to one."
"Who knows," Max told him. "What if you are? I mean, it's been years since you've actually talked about a girl."
Takao gave him a look.
"And your point being?" he questioned.
"Here," Max answered, "you always talk about kicking people's ass, you've never ever even talked about a subject that includes a girl—"
"Hey, I did, okay?"
"It doesn't count when you're complaining twenty-four-seven about Mao-chan and Emily-chan chasing you out of the city because you pissed them off," Kai retorted.
Takao rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
"And here's your chance with… what's the girl's name again?" Rei asked.
"Err…" Max sweatdropped.
"Hey, don't ask me!" Kenny reprimanded. "I was busy with my other schoolwork!"
"It's Tachibana," Takao grumbled. "Or Hiromi… uh… I think it's Hiromi Tachibana—"
Realizing what he had just said, he growled and grabbed the side of his head with his hands, shaking his head violently.
Max chuckled.
"Oh, gross!" Takao cried. "I remembered! I actually remembered a chick's name!"
He stared at his hands as if they were dirty and let out streams of rivers down his checks dramatically. Kai snarled irritatingly and rolled his eyes.
"I'm off," the gray-haired muttered, standing up and leaving the group with a wearisome face, leaving a mournful Takao and three exasperatedly friends behind.