AN: Gomen nasai for the long update! But I hope that this chapter will be more than enough to make up for it! Also, I want to thank Iarly for her very generous review. Not just her, but to everyone who read and reviewed my fic. Your wonderful words and encouragements are always kept in a special place in my heart. Even though I don't know you all personally, I still thank you from the bottom of my very overwhelmed heart. Thank you so much, kind reviewers! Oh, and Iarly? Gomen I didn't sent you an e-mail. Thought it would be better to follow what they always say, 'action speaks louder than words', 'ne? hehehe…
Oh, and for anyone out there who's a huge Hikaru/Lantis fan, please, write more Rayearth fics centering on them! There aren't enough of them! Although it's nice to write a fic dedicated to them, it's also nice to read something about them done by another author. And by the way, I'm planning on starting a C2 community for Hikaru/Lantis fics…would anyone be interested in being a staff? Please send me an email me! Thanks!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own MKR.
Chapter 4: BACKTRACK
"So Hikaru, tell us what your life has been in Sapporo. You said you lived there ever since you were in…high school? Did we got that right?" Umi asked, sipping into her martini.
Hikaru looked around, and then took a sip on her tequila. Fuu did the same. They were in one corner of the big lawn of the MC Knight's Manor. Music was blaring out of the speakers, and several couples were in the dance floor, while others were in the table, chitchatting.
"My life at Sapporo…? Well, let's see…I never really got to spend so much time outside the house, except when I reached college. By that time, my overly protective brothers finally allowed me to go out on a date, and they allowed me to spend more time with my friends. They even allowed me to stay in a boarding house along with my friends Iyashi and Ayah. And it was fun! Though my studies took a lot of my time, I still lived my college days to the fullest, and I never regretted that I didn't got to enjoy much of my high school life. After all, my brothers were only doing what they think is best for me," Hikaru answered, smiling at her two friends.
"What about you parents? Don't they allow you to go out?" Fuu asked, tipping her glasses back up.
Hikaru shook her head, and a wistful look came into her eyes, "Nope! 'Tousan and Okaasan were very much satisfied with the way my brothers were protecting me. You know, at times, I thought that I was some kind of a fragile being, because they were very cautious about things concerning me. In fact, they prevented me from every sport that I think I like, because they said I might get into an accident with one of those, so I insisted on my father to just teach me kendo and make me a professional kendoka,"
Umi's eyes widened, and she glanced at Fuu first before turning her eyes back to the redhead. "So…you practice kendo?" she asked casually.
Hikaru nodded slowly, her cheeks coloring, "Don't tell anyone, you guys, but I'm the number one kendoka in all of Japan right now. I just won the recent Japan Inter-kendo Championship. I stole the title from my brother Satoru," she staged whispered.
Umi and Fuu's eyes widened even more, and they let out a squeal and then clutched Hikaru's hands, "Wow! That's truly amazing! You're amazing Hikaru!" Fuu exclaimed.
Hikaru placed a finger on the two's lips, silencing them, "Shhh! Don't say it out loud! I'd like this thing to be kept as a secret, please?"
Umi and Fuu nodded, placing their left hand over their heart for reassurance. Hikaru looked at their hands, and her eyes were suddenly filled with confusion.
"Hikaru…? Are you all right…?" Umi asked, placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder. Suddenly, Hikaru swayed, and Fuu and Umi caught her wrist before she stumbled down on the floor.
"Hikaru!" they both exclaimed. They looked closely at Hikaru's face, which was turning pale by the minute. Her hands were cold and clammy.
"I-I'm okay, guys. Really…just got a…memory lapse in there…" the redhead answered, looking up at Umi and Fuu and smiling, reassuring the two.
"Memory lapse…?" Fuu asked.
"A memory lapse…I don't know…I just felt that that…promise you made…the way you placed your left hands in your chest…it felt…it felt familiar…" Hikaru trailed off, her eyes looking preoccupied.
Once again, the blue-haired and blonde-haired women looked at each other meaningfully. Hikaru looked down at her open palms for some time, then shook her head and looked up at Umi and Fuu once again, this time a big grin on her face.
"Aww, forget about it, guys! Its just nonsense! We're here to enjoy the party, and this is no time to think about those things!" she exclaimed, then pulled Umi and Fuu on their feet and started dancing on the dance floor.
The two were taken by surprise, but then they joined the redhead in dancing and pretty soon they were hitting it off in the dance floor.
"Hey Hikaru, where do you live?" Ascot asked. He, Umi, Ferio, Fuu and Hikaru were inside Ascot's CR-V, on their way home. It was already past midnight.
"Oh, I live near the Kawasaki Juvenile Science Museum, at Tama-Ward," she answered, smiling up at Ascot. He smiled back, and then he started the car to head to wear Hikaru lives.
"So, you live all alone in there?" Ferio asked casually. He, Fuu and Hikaru were seating at the back of the car, while Umi was seated on the passenger's seat. Ascot was driving.
Hikaru nodded, "Yeah. I asked my mom and dad to let me live alone, and they agreed. Tousan and Okaasan are in Tokyo, living in a dojo. Tousan wanted to continue teaching kendo even though he was well past 55,"
Fuu's eyes widened, and so are the others. "A-a do-dojo?" Ferio sputtered.
Hikaru nodded again, "Yup. A dojo. Of course, he named it 'Shidou Dojo', for very obvious reasons. My brothers were already married, and Satoru's wife Omita just gave birth to a baby girl a few days ago. Masaru's wife Rika is already six months pregnant, and Kakeru's wife, my very good friend Maliana, is already two months pregnant," she narrated.
The others nodded. "Cool. It seems that the Shidou family really is getting bigger and bigger than it already is," Umi joked, and the others laughed.
"But what about you? Don't you have a special someone?" Fuu asked.
Hikaru's face turned red, and she was about to answer when she noticed that they were nearing Tama-Ward. "Oh, look guys! I'm near home!" she exclaimed. When they reached the entrance of the Ikuta Green Park, Ascot stopped the car.
"I'm already near here, around the corner," she said, and then quickly went out the car. The others followed suit, and they lined up in front of the park.
"Arigatou gozaimasou, my friends, for bringing me back home safely," she thanked, bowing down in front of the four. The four in turn bowed down also. "Arigatou as well, Hikaru, for attending Lantis' birthday tonight. I'm sure he was extra happy," Ascot replied, which was met by a confused stare from the redhead
"Huh? What are you saying?" she asked.
"Nothing, it was nothing," Ascot grinned, shaking his head.
"You better go inside your house, Hikaru, it's very late," Umi advised, smiling at her. The redhead nodded, and after throwing another look at Ascot, she stepped forward to where Umi and Fuu stood and hugged the two.
"Oyasumi, guys, sleep tight and have a nice dream," she muttered, then went to the path at the side of the park and disappeared into the darkness.
The four looked at each other, and then went inside the car to head back home.
"Do you guys still have any doubt that that is really the Hikaru we knew?" Ascot asked, his eyes fixed on the road. Nobody answered. Umi looked out the window, her breath fanning the window.
"That really is Hikaru. This time I have no doubt in my heart that that really is my best friend Shidou Hikaru!" she exclaimed.
"Just the mention of a dojo and I knew instantly that she is Hikaru, Umi-san. And the mention of her brothers Satoru, Masaru and Kakeru…" Fuu added.
"So now, we need to know what happened to her during the time that she was living in Morioka, and why she has no memory of her past self," Ferio stated.
They looked at each other once more, and said all together, "We need to go to Tokyo,"
It was another sunny Saturday morning, as Hikaru started jogging around the place. She avoided the path around the Ikuta Green Park to prevent herself from bumping into people who would go to the park and the museum.
But then, she bumped into somebody, nonetheless.
One moment she was running, the other she was sent down hard on the ground. "Oh wow," she breathed. Just then, a deep baritone voice met her ears, and she saw a perfectly tanned hand in front of her face, offering help.
"I'm sorry Miss, for bumping into you. I wasn't look--Hikaru! It is you!" the voice exclaimed.
She looked up, and saw Lantis' face looking down at her. "Ohayou, Lantis-san," she greeted, and took Lantis' hand to get up. Once she's back on her feet, she faced Lantis and smiled up at him. "I'm sorry for the collision, Lantis-san, I didn't see you too. I guess I was preoccupied,"
Lantis shook his head, and then peered closely into her eyes, "It's my fault. I wasn't looking on the road. I was busy looking inside the park that I forgot to pay attention to where I'm heading. Are you all right? That seemed a little too hard for me," he insisted, his eyes showing concern for her.
She smiled up at him again and shook her head. "I'm perfectly fine, Lantis-san, please don't worry about me. I was just shocked for bumping into someone," she answered.
Lantis, on the other hand, felt his heart thump hard against his chest and he felt a warm sensation course through his veins, making him feel tender. "Well, I'm still sorry for what I did, whether it is my fault or yours," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. I really missed you so much, my love…you just can't imagine the pain I've been through for living the nine years of my life without you, and without making you feel the love I feel for you right from the very start that I saw you at the Castle, he thought, his eyes looking kindly at the redhead.
Hikaru started to jog again, and Lantis fell into step beside her. "So what are you doing here in Ikuta Park, Lantis-san? This is a far place to jog in!" she asked, smiling brightly at him.
Lantis offered a small smile, and Hikaru felt her heart speed up. Whoa! What's going on with me? She asked frantically, avoiding eye contact with the tall raven-haired man. She can't explain the sudden erratic beating of her heart at Lantis' smile. What's happening to me…? Why is it that he has that kind of effect on me…? She asked restlessly.
"I wanted to see a new place to jog in to. Ferio suggested I jog around here, because he was sure I'm going to love the scenery and…maybe I'd bump into someone…" he slipped, stealing a glance at the redhead.
Hikaru kept her gaze ahead, but her face was turning redder by the minute. Oh my…could it be that Ferio is playing matchmaker between Lantis and me…? Oh please…I'm not yet ready for this! She cleared her throat and attempted to smile, but still her eyes were fixed on the road. "That's great…Ikuta Green Park is really a nice place to relax. The cool wind, the warm sunlight, the refreshing sight…everything in here has a sort of therapeutic effect…especially in a disturbed mind and worn out body. This is the perfect place to liberate your soul and find peace once again," she remarked.
A deep, throaty laugh escaped Lantis' mouth, and he looked amused at the redhead. "You sound like an advertising model, Hikaru. Does the government pay you part-time to sales talk every person who crosses their path here?" he teased.
Hikaru laughed, and gave him a punch on the shoulder, "Funny, Lantis-san. I just appreciate the nature and everything in it, you know! After all, I'm a Biology major!" she retorted.
Lantis stopped laughing, but his eyes were still dancing in mischief. "All right, all right! I'll stop. I was way out of line for teasing you like that,"
Hikaru 'humph', then she jogged a few feet away from him. Lantis followed, and pretty soon they were laughing once again.
"Oh, and by the way, please call me Lantis, without the –san suffix. I hate formalities too, you know, like you do," Lantis said, giving a small smile towards Hikaru.
Hikaru nodded, "Would it be okay if I call you Lantis-chan? Like I call Ferio-chan and Ascot-chan?" she asked.
Lantis stopped for a moment, I was hoping for a 'koishii' as an endearment, he thought, and then he nodded at the redhead. "That would be fine, Hikaru-chan," he answered.
Hikaru's smile widened, and she run a few feet ahead, "That's better. Now, race you up to the top of the Shrine steps at the end of this road!" and she sprinted forward, making sure of having a 3-feet distance from Lantis.
The raven-haired man shook his head slightly, and muttered under his breath, "I miss Hikaru very much," and then shouted at the already running redhead, "You might want to run faster, Hikaru, because I tell you, I'm a fast runner!" and then he run forward and started gaining speed. He heard Hikaru laugh, and her retort.
"May the best runner win!" and she run faster.
Thirty minutes later…
"It's already 10 o'clock. What do you say we head over to that canteen we passed by a few moments ago?" Lantis suggested, stopping under a bug sakura tree in the middle of Ikuta Green Park.
They had gone inside the park to see scenic views, and they weren't disappointed. The trees really had a calming effect, and the two felt that even though they had been jogging around the place for more than two hours now, they aren't tired yet. Plus, Lantis really is a fun guy to be with, Hikaru discovered just now. There's more to the cold look and unemotional face that has become his trademark.
The guy's really warm inside, and sort of lonely, almost as if he's searching for a part of his soul that has become lost through the years. Just like me, Hikaru thought, glancing around the place. After a few moments, she looked back at Lantis' expectant face and smiled.
"Sure, Lantis-chan. I think that's a great idea!" she answered, and then the two of them headed for the restaurant.
After settling inside, and making their orders from the counter, they ate in silence. Lantis feasted on tuna sandwich, pasta and orange juice. Hikaru got herself a plate of baked macaroni and a glass of green tea.
"Are you sure you don't want to eat more?" Lantis asked as he wiped a napkin across his mouth. He just finished drinking juice.
Hikaru shook her head and wiped her mouth as well before answering him, "Nope! I'm fine with what I ate. In fact, that is too much! At breakfast, I normally eat two slices of wheat bread and that's it! But with you, I feel obliged to eat more,"
Lantis smiled a little, "So that explains why you never grew up," he teased.
Hikaru rolled her eyes at him, "The reason why I didn't grew up is because Okaasan's short too, you know! It's in my genes!" she retorted.
"Just kidding. Hey Hikaru-chan, can you please tell me more about yourself? Matte, before you think of anything else, I just wanted to get to know you better, since we're teaching in the same school," he requested, turning a little red at Hikaru's raised eyebrows.
"Its okay, Lantis-chan. After all, we're already friends!" she said, then leaned back on her chair and crossed her legs under the table, "Well, I can't really remember much about my childhood, but I do remember things from my college life. Because my family wanted the best for me, when we moved out of Tokyo and into Sapporo, they enrolled me to Sapporo University to get quality education. My college life was really tough: there were so many quizzes and projects that I had barely enough time to go to the mall with my friends or watch a movie with my family. But anyway, my dorm mates and I went out every weekend, or whenever our schedules were okay. We frequented bars and watched movies and concerts whenever we had time. It was both a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing because I was able to concentrate on my studies very well and get high grades and graduate with flying colors. That was the good thing. The bad thing was…well, my quality time with my family became lesser than before, but nevertheless, they were always there to support me in everything I do,"
"What about boyfriends? Didn't you have one?" Lantis inquired, his eyes unreadable. Please…let it be a 'none'…let it be a 'none'!
Hikaru's cheeks reddened, and she smiled sheepishly at him and nodded slightly, "Well, actually, I had…a number of suitors back in high school and…well, I fell in love with one of them…"
Lantis attempted to smile, but his smile never reached his eyes, "What's his name?" That hurts…
"His name's Rei, Izumo Rei, a very close friend of mine who is, at the same time, my biggest crush in college," Hikaru answered.
"Ahh…so your first boyfriend was a friend, huh? Did your parents know?" Lantis asked.
"Hai. Rei wanted to be honest with my family, and in return, my family accepted him on the condition that we finish our studies first before we commit to each other seriously, which we obeyed dutifully," Hikaru answered again, smiling at him.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, and he asked once again, "You keep associating your boyfriend with a present tense. Does this mean that…the two of you are still together?"
Hikaru nodded once again, and her face radiated love for her boyfriend, "Yes. We were able to keep our relationship surviving through the years, even though we got separated for two years. After I graduated from college, 'tousan decided to live with his sister at Morioka, so we went there. But still, Rei and I kept our communication open and hoped that someday, we'll see each other again."
"Oh, so for two years now, you still haven't seen him?"
"Yeah. But we exchanged letters and called each other over. And he promised me he'll be coming over here in Kawasaki after his research on Philippine herbal plants is done," she answered, beaming at him.
"Missed him so much?"
"Yeah…I do…"
"Lucky guy…" Lantis muttered under his breath.
"What did you say, Lantis-chan?" Hikaru strained to hear, drawing out of her fantasyland.
"Nothing. I didn't say anything. Come on Hikaru-chan, I think we should be going," Lantis shook his head, and stood up from the table. Hikaru followed suit, and after leaving a few hundred yen bills on the table, they were off.
Hikaru's heart already belongs to someone else…
What is my purpose for being here on Earth, anyway...? Now that the woman I love already loves another man…
What's the point of being here on Earth if the only reason I was here was already…shattered?
AN: Eh…I hope the next chapter will be completed soon. Gomen for the short chapter! R/R please! Flames are greatly appreciated!