O.C. #1: see? It's already kinda longer and.. Better. More meat. I'm sorry about my crap first chapter! -bows low-

It: Don't eat the carpet now. -just passing through-

Near You

Chapter 2

The next day of school arrived and Kouichi paused in the hallway. He'd gone to see a teacher about a project, but he'd never expected to find a blockade when he got back. Everyone was crowed around the door, as though scared.. Or watching an attraction..

"What's going on?" he asked, trying to push through the crowd. When he got through, he stopped. There, in the middle of the room, were Takuya and Kouji.. Just staring at each other.. Glaring more like it. Not yelling.. Just glaring. The tension in the room was so think you could swim in it. It was just seeping off the walls.

"I hope you know. This doesn't change a thing." Takuya finally spoke.

"No kidding. When this is all over with, nothing will have changed." Kouji said cooly, yet angrily. They seemed to calm down, sitting in their chairs. People seemed to decide it was over and started filing into the room.

"With your family history, I bet your mom tricked my mom into agreeing."

"What!" Kouji's head snapped to look at Takuya. He couldn't look any angrier.

"Better not cast some spell on me, Minamoto." Takuya returned the glare. In the blink of an eye, both boys were up and clutching each other by the necks.

"There are names for people like you..." Kouji growled in a dangerously low voice.

"Oh ya? Like what?" Takuya smirked, both boys shaking in anger and excitement it seemed.

"Obnoxious Crazy LUNATICS!" Kouji yelled shoving his opponent and sending them both toppling over desks and landing with a crash under a few of them. The crash echoed through the halls and all was quiet as a new mob formed at the door of students in other classes and those in the classroom stared, shocked, at the scene.

The boys always had a rep with each other, but they'd never broken into all out fighting before. Students wondered just what had changed during the last week of school. And now, the only thing confirming that both boys were alright was the growling from under the desks and books that had slid from on top of and inside of said desks.

"Kouji.." Kouichi sighed, shaking his head.

– – – – – –

So now both Takuya and Kouji were packing suitcases. The week had flown by like Christmas break. The boys couldn't concentrate on anything but glaring or ignoring each other so it was good that not much work was done the last week. They got into miniature squabbles everyday after school in which they threw a few punches, but nothing too serious. Because of the desk incident and the fights, both boys now had side effects of concussions, minor bruises, and pent up anger.

"Kouji! Hurry up! We'll be late!" Kouichi called up the stairs as Kouji packed the last of his things.

"I'm coming.." he grumbled.

"What!"

"I SAID I'M COMING!"

"Well you don't have to yell at me." Kouichi could be heard leaving the vicinity.

"Man, can this get any worse?" Kouji groaned, looking at his bedside table. He pulled out the drawer and took out a photo album. Inside were pictures of him and Kouichi as children and a brunette boy who appeared in many photos, be it in the background or center.

Kouji smiled at memories, but then the smiled vanished as he remembered the 10 years gap between the next two pictures. One was of the child brunette, Takuya, and the next was of Kouji and Takuya at each other's necks.

"Kinda makes you wonder what happened in those 10 years, doesn't it?" Kouji jumped at the voice. He closed the book and flipped around to see his brother standing there.

"Oh, it's you.."

"Ya. You're gonna make us late, so I was sent to find you." Kouichi smiled and grabbed Kouji's suitcase. The younger twin watched as Kouichi dragged his suitcase down the stairs before putting the medium scrapbook in his emptied school bag, now filled with things like his mini player and books. He swung it over his shoulder and followed his brother out.

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

'Come on Takuya! Say cheese!' Kouichi laughed, holding the camera and taking a picture of his brother and his brother's best friend.

'Tag! You're it!' Kouji tagged Takuya. The brunette tripped and fell into the playground dirt. 'Ah! Takuya! I'm sorry!.. Are you okay?' Kouji bent down to see him. Takuya smirked and tagged Kouji before dashing off.

'Gotcha!' he laughed, Kouji in hot pursuit.

Kouji was playing his game boy, not really paying attention to what he was doing, but winning anyway. He hadn't noticed the car stop or his parents get out.. Or even the car beside them.

"Well, since our car is bigger, I thought it'd be better if we just used one car and save on gas." Kouichi stood beside his mother as she spoke with Ms. Kanbara.

"Hey, Kouichi." Takuya greeted.

"Hey. I'm pretty sure our parents are deciding, without us, to use one car.." Kouichi sweat dropped.

"Well then, let's go!" Takuya seemed cheery, what with no sign of Kouji anywhere. He opened the door to the Minamoto family car and instantly decided to sit in the very back, pulling Kouichi with him. He paused upon seeing Kouji. Yet he didn't seem to get angry at all. In fact, he just sat down on the opposite side of the back seat and had Kouichi sit between them.

Kouichi looked between the two. Kouji wasn't going to respond to any outside provocation and Takuya seemed to be his normal cheery self, even in the presence of his worst enemy, and used to be best friend. This would be a long ride..

– – – – – – – –

It was two hours later when they were still driving that Takuya bothered to look at Kouji. There had been a half hour lull in conversation in the backseat, in which Kouji played games and Kouichi ate snacks. He gazed around Kouichi to look at the younger twin.

His eyes were so distant. He seemed lost in thought and barely aware that he was playing a game. He found that even staring at him, getting no response through the whole journey, even glaring at him.. He wasn't even slightly angry at the boy right now.

It wasn't long before Kouji drifted to sleep, never noticing the new occupants in the car. Kouichi glanced at his brother, smiled, and took the game from his hands to turn it off. He packed the game back into Kouji's bag and then began to have a conversation with Takuya's mother over the perks of spicy food, which he just happened to overhear.

Takuya leaned against the window and continued staring at Kouji. The boy seemed so peaceful when he slept. So different than when he was awake. As Takuya looked at the people in the car, he noticed that everyone seemed so much more relaxed. The normal, shy Kouichi was laughing with a woman he'd just met. His parents, who had been so nervous, were laughing and joking with the Minamoto's..

He didn't know where his justification came from, but Takuya knew the peaceful air surrounding them came from Kouji. Be it a spell or jinx, it was a nice feeling. He'd felt it since he'd gotten in the car. The reason he couldn't get mad, everything.. The only thing that bugged him..

If everyone was so at peace.. Why had Kouji seemed so.. Lost amongst it all? What could have he been thinking about while he unconsciously set this air? That sad look in his eyes... even now, in the peace of sleep..

"Kids?" Takuya broke from his thoughts. "Wake Kouji. We're here." They'd arrived at the mountain resort they were staying at. He grabbed his bag and followed his parents out while Kouichi woke his brother.

Stepping from the car, Takuya took a deep breath. Whoa.. He'd never been here before. It was amazing. He heard the car door close and turned around. He and Kouji locked eyes and he felt the anger rising. He'd never asked himself why he hated Kouji.. It just happened.

And it seemed Kouji was back to normal too, as he just calmly walked away. Takuya let out a deep breath. All the anger seemed pointless right about now..

– – – – – – – – – – – –