Chapter 10

I had a sudden epiphany while I watch Hitens stillness. It was random and came like the kiss itself did. The knowledge had sent waves of electricity throughout my body. What was it that had suddenly come to my attention? It was that this man was beautiful. While the words man and beautiful do not go together Hiten Indrashi was indeed an exception.

He had something that his old self could never achieve. Grace. It beamed out from his exterior, like background music of a song; you actually had to pay attention to understand and appreciate it. I noticed how his soft facial features were brought out by his smooth hair which held together, not in clumps, but all together, causing it to sheen. His body was shyly naïve to its true strength.

His every move seemed to replay them in my mind, every sweet smile, every time he would ask strange questions. It was growing to be too much. This couldn't be love. Love was quick, it occurred while you had your back turned, while you slept. No, this was slow and creeping. I felt it slowly bring speechless admiration.

"What are you looking at?" Hiten asked, bowing his face more into the shadow his umbrella had created.

"Hiten…" I started, looking a little harder. I was starting to lean in a bit closer to him, this new feeling driving me.

The crunches of snow came fast. A little girl emerged from the woods

"There you two are!" Souten looked like she was about to kick me in the shin like most little kids would. She had her arms crossed and lips out forming a pout. I held back what I was going to say and went to comfort the child.

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Who ever said playing in a marching band was easy was either a smart ass teachers pet or a truly gifted person. Practice that day, right before lunch, was just yet another reminder that my memory sucked. Every note I played was a squeak, and every step was off. And they said that bandies were shy and quiet. Au Contraire! These were the bossiest people I have ever worked with in my entire life! Every single move I made was wrong in their eyes.

The other saxophones didn't say anything; it was the clarinet section that was observing me like a test subject. The seniors used me as their pawn, one would move me to one place and one would move me to another. Shippou simply told me to go along with it. You see we had a show later on that night, a football game, and the nerves were high. I couldn't imagine how they would act during competition.

"LEFT! LEFT! DAMMIT GET OF YOUR LEFT FOOT!" A girl yelled at me.

Now is a good time to introduce Mr.Caskilshi. He was our ill conductor and was hardly ever there for our performances. He watched me and raised his brow.

"Band Dismissed"

Thanking god I rushed off of the field, even when Renkotsu had called for me. I needed to talk to Suzako. The flow of tired band students swept up behind me. I threw open up the thick door.

"Bankotsu" Renkotsu was standing in the door way. I swear he moves faster than a track star. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just have to go meet someone." Renkotsu moved his stance. Raising a brow he followed behind me.

"Who?"

"Suzako, you nosy bastard." I grumbled, throwing the saxophone into its case, and left it on the chair. He sighed and picked up the case for me bringing it to the Instrument room across the hall. I split from him and rushed to my locker.

Just as always Suzako stood there looking for me.

"Suzako, I need to talk to you…now" He opened his mouth to say something.

Grabbing his arm I pushed him along the hallways and ducked outside onto an empty yard.

"Well that was harsh." He giggled. "What do you want to know?"

"How do you know that your…" I paused and grumbled the last word.

"That your?"

"Umm like you."

He sat back. "Bankotsu are you coming out of the closet?!" I shook my head.

"NO! I WAS WONDERING ON HITENS BEHALF! WHAT THE HELL MAKES YOU THINK THAT I'M GAY?!"

He giggled louder. "Because you're denying it like death!"