Wild & Wicked Dream


Homura only wants her sister to be happy. She only wants her brother-in-law to not get offed and send said sister into crazy misery. And so, Homura dies, but in dying she's given a task. Protect and save Baji in exchange for her preferred outcome. Sounds like a fair trade, right? Only, she has one question: Who the fuck is Baji? And why is he always in some shit?


Chapter 2: Dangerous

"Remember," Yuna began, the heel of her shoes clicking as we glided down the street, the neighborhood warm and welcoming around us. A high schooler with thick glasses biked past us mumbling about an exam. For whatever reason, I had the distinct feeling that I'd done this before. I mean, I had, obviously (we usually took the same road to school) but it just felt too exact. "I have tutoring after school. Will you wait for me?"

I hummed, noticing Mrs. Kimeya standing in her yard in only a bathrobe yelling up at her husband to open the front door. Instead, he began throwing her clothes out the window, for cheating, maybe?

"Homura, are you listening?"

I start, and then decide to focus on her face, the way the sunlight fell on her skin. "Ohhh, I forgot you signed up for that. Helpin' the dumb kids. That'll get you into college."

Yuna smacked my arm, her mouth half open half smiling, "Hey, that's not nice! You can't say that."

I roll my eyes, not caring, "What's worse, me saying that or you smiling and pretending to be scandalized? I'll wait."

"I'm not pretending." She says, lips trying to curl against her will. "I am scandalized. That was mean—and untrue! They aren't dumb, just behind."

"Hmm."

"They are!"

"Did I disagree, Madame Theresa?"

She hit my arm again, "Maybe you should have signed up too, Homura. It's Mother Theresa, not Madame."

I roll my eyes, "Same difference. They're both women ain't they?"

"Aren't they."

I stuck my tongue out at Miss Perfect, but didn't push her off as she continued to cling to me. I had this strange feeling in my chest. This heavy, inexplicable loss. This wrongness I felt and only having her this close to me could satiate it.

We were just nearing the gates when a group of girls walked out, the definitive leader with a bad blonde dye job her roots showing, her lips smacking on a wad of purple gum. The black leggings underneath her skirt were tore purposely in spots. The girls around her wearing similar leggings, one worse than the last. Jun leader of the Bad Bitch Brigade had cuffed her jacket coat to hook under her elbows. I'd rock mine like that if not for the fact that she was already doing it. How gross would that be?

Yuna groans, stepping behind me as I get that glint in my eye, my smile bright and big as I approach them with swagger. That earlier hesitance melts like ice cream in the sun. She pinches at my arm. "Why today of all days?"

Ignoring her, I throw my arms wide like I'm welcoming them home. "Lookie here! The bitch and her pups! What? Come to shit on my doorstep? Isn't it too early for that?"

Yuna mumbles something that sounds like, "Gratuitous," but I can't be sure. She's always mumbling about something.

Jun stuck her fingers in her mouth and yanked that wad from her lips. One of her newer subordinates, a girl I don't know, hardens her gaze as she steps forward, palm out. With a sickening slap, Jun drops the gooey wad right into her palm. I don't hide my disgust. I had to give the girl credit, though, she didn't grimace at all. Straight faced it.

With her obstacle removed, Jun thrust an accusing finger out at me. "You've pissed me off for the last time King! I told you to leave the girl alone. Nozomi's under my protection. I have no choice but to retaliate."

The girls around her nodded their assent. Tatsumi, her hair in a spiky buzz was the only one to look remotely bothered, shifting on her feet. She probably remembered what happened the last time Jun had 'no choice but to retaliate.'

So that's what this is about?

"Nozomi is a loudmouth who called my sister a slut after her dumbass boyfriend decided to dump her. What her mentally challenged ass forgot to notice is that Yuna hates her boyfriend and has never even looked at him on purpose." I say and then shrugged, "but, I'm not nice enough to explain all that so I kicked her."

Jun threw her head back to the sky. "Five times!"

I gesture gallantly with my hands, not understanding. "A kick for every letter in word slut."

"That's four." Yuna reminded me softly.

"I spell slut with two t's." I say, glancing over my shoulder.

"Hey! Shut up! It doesn't matter." Jun sighs, aggravated so early in the morning. "Look, we'll have to fight."

"I can't right now," I say, gesturing up and down with my arms. "I promised what's his face I'll be early. What about after? I have to wait for Yuna to finish tutoring the dummies anyway—

Yuna savagely hits me.

"—and I need a little exercise anyway." I offer with a hand out, "That work?"

Jun purses her lips, but then nods. With a snap of her fingers her crew falls into a line and they allow us pass. Jun falling into step beside Yuna and I.

"Do you really have to fight everyone I have under my protection?" She asks me, a sigh.

"Don't protect assholes then I wouldn't have to fight you. You're the one with the dumb rules, Junie."

"Look, she pays me. What? You want me to say no? I get paid whether I win or lose. Taking a few lazy hits from you is well worth it."

"Lazy?" I frown as Yuna chuckles, a book in her hand.

"Yeah, lazy. You never hit me as hard as you can. I'm not stupid." Jun digs into her pocket and pulls out a fresh pack of gum, "Want some? It's grape flavor."

"I hate grape." I gripe, turning my nose up at it.

"You hate everything." She dismisses me with a wave. "I'll have to get some witnesses gathered, just so Nozomi knows I upheld my end of the bargain. At least twenty, I think. Anyway, are we going all out or just the first one to hit the ground?"

"Since you always lose, I'll let you pick." I say and she throws her head back with a laugh.

"I hate you."

Lies, I think, and then glance up over her head. "You need to stop hating your roots. What's up with your head?"

"Hm?" she glances at the strands, her finger pulling through the strands. "Oh. I'm getting it done this weekend. Going pink I think. Or purple. And I'll get a heavy bang."

"Pink is better, you'll look cute with the pink, a freak with the purple."

"Nice." She deadpans.

"Hey, you want nice or you want honesty?"

"Yeah, yeah." She says, grumbling. She holds her hand out and one of her crewmates scurry up with a hair tie. She quickly ties her hair into a high ponytail and is immediately back to business."Anyway, d'you hear about Mikey?"

I narrow my eyes at her. "Who?"

Jun looks at me like I've grown four heads. "Mikey. You know, the leader of Toman?"

It sounded familiar, but only slightly. But, judging by the way her eyes light up. It probably has everything to do with a gang. Jun really needed to get her priorities figured out. "Yeah, no idea."

Her voice jumped with her enthusiasm, becoming squeaky and girlish. Love sick. Eck. "Well, he got suspended for three days for kicking three guys in the head outside Matsuda's classroom."

"Just three?"

"They didn't go here so he didn't get the full punishment." She was bouncing now, and I was sure she was completely unaware.

"Hm." I hummed, interesting. Something did prick at my memory just then. Something dark, and faraway. "isn't he the short one?"

"The hot one."

I looked at her.

"What?" She continued, "So anyway, I was talking to Baji the—"

I stopped cold. Every muscle in my body tensed and ready to spring. "Who?"

"Keisuke Baji." She says again, her eyes narrowed on me, noticing my stillness. Yuna had paused as well, her book aloft in her hand. "You know, the First Division Captain of Toman? Long black hair, he got held back a year? Ring a bell? We went to the same elementary school—"

And just like that, a train of memories flooded my head, something that distinctly felt both unreal and true.

SAVE BAJI!

I felt my heart speed at the thought. Yuna's face turning to me, tears streaming down her face, her wail piercing the air around us. Bright headlights—

"Homura!"


When I opened my eyes, the nurse had her back to me. I sat up, eyes slightly crusty as I rubbed them. I grabbed the bottle of water at my bedside table, turned the cap and drank deeply until it was mostly finished save for a single swallow.

I wetted my lips. So, I either travelled back in time and have been dropped down into my old body or I'm still this me and I've just been given memories….I can't decide. Both were possible. Everything from before felt like a movie to me, something I'd watched, but not lived. That didn't really even feel like me. Well, it did and didn't. either way, I suppose it didn't matter.

Yuna was in trouble. And to save her, I just needed to meet this Baji person and make sure he doesn't…what? Die? A tall ask, to be sure, but nothing a little stalking couldn't cure.

Fate must have chosen me for a reason, seeing as I'm literally in his middle school and apparently, we went to the same elementary.

I wonder why I don't remember him?

"Feeling better?" the nurse asks as I move my legs off to the side of the bed. "You took a nasty fall. That Yamamoto wouldn't leave your side while you were out. I had to have her escorted out."

Jun, you weirdo. I shake my head. "I don't have a concussion or anything, right?"

"Correct. You may just experience a little dizziness. You slept through all your classes."

I groaned. That, I was going to hear about—

"Crap!" I jump out of bed. "I gotta go!"

"Wait, don't—"

I slip out under her arm and burst out the door and down the hall. Kids were just starting to flood the hallways, chatting and smiling. I whirl in a circle, the world spinning a bit.

"King!"

Jun ran up to me, her crew sprinting behind her. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

Just the person I needed to see. If anyone would know, it would be her. little stalker. "Where's Baji?"

She blinked rapidly, "He has after school tutoring."

I pat her on the shoulder, "Thanks—"

"Hey, where are you going, we have a fight to settle."

"I can't right now. I'm slammed."

"You weren't slammed this morning." She said, crossing her arms, to give me a once over. "Do you not feel up to it?"

At that, I looked at her, all urgency forgotten. "Up to it? I could beat you in my sleep."

"Prove it." She says fiercely, stepping toward me and then lower, "Mama needs her check."

I suck my teeth. You better not move, Baji.

Jun keeps her word about getting at least twenty witnesses. We're not far from the school gates. They're in sight, just around the corner, but far enough away that any adult won't feel like they need to be a hero. It's a nice setting, breezy June. Not a cloud in sight.

Jun and her group block my advance back toward the school. Jeers and laughs, rise up from the crowd around us. All wearing an assortment of the school uniform. Jun shrugs out of her jacket and the new recruit takes it from her. I keep mine on—just to make things fair.

"You suck, you know that." Jun tells me, as if she could read my mind just by my expression.

I shrug, flicking a brow up. "What's wrong with being confident?"

"There's a difference between being confident and being a dick."

She's got me there. I motion for her to step forward, "Come and get this ass kicking."

She spits toward the ground, "See? Dick."

I throw my hands up, "Sorry? Uh, please come and get this ass kicking?"

"That's still—"

"Stop talking and fight already!" shouted some dude with a mohawk. "I came here to see a fight not a love confession!"

I pick up a rock and—

"Hey, it's my time now." Jun hisses at me. "Pay attention."

I blink my eyes prettily at her and she falls into form, advancing around me in a circle. I keep my hands by my sides, just barely turning my head as she slides into my blind spot. "OOOh, scary." I say with a mocking shiver. "I'm so—"

Just then, an onlooker breaks into the circle and swings at me. He's big an brutish looking, lips pulled back over his teeth. I step back and then push forward delivering a rising palm to his chin, hearing the lovely crunch of his teeth smacking together. He tilts back and me, nice as I am, does him a favor by handing him a kick to his gut.

"What the hell, Jun?" I ask the moment he collapses. "I thought it was just us?"

She narrows her eyes, "It is." And then finds a running head of dark hair in the crowd. Nozomi bobs and weaves away. Jun cups her mouth, "I hope you know you're still paying me!"

I put my hands on my hips, staring back at the school building. "We still doing this? Because I gotta go, like bad."

"Fine. Quickly then." Jun rushes toward me. I sweep her legs, but she hops up just in time. She grins.

"Lucky." I say, even as my eyes shoot to the building. I feel pretty bad about Jun. all she wants is a fair enough fight, but I can't really give her any more energy.

Jun kicks out at me. I grab her leg and she drops the ground, trying to pull me with her. I let go and she pushes off onto her hands back onto her feet.

I groan, "Don't make me hit you, Jun."

She rolls her eyes, "You think I can't take a hit from you?"

"I think I got shit to do and don't have time."

"You're the one wasting your precious time. End it if you're so worried."

She's right. I spin. My kick takes her in the arm and throws her to the ground. She tries to get up again but I send her a final kick to the chest and she sprawls onto her back to make a dirt angel. Pooped.

"Please, don't get up." I say, and then dart through the crowd, pushing this girl and swatting this guy's head. "I gotta go. It'll be better next time, I promise!"

I leap the front steps, duck under a pair of legs and wiggle through two guys trying to punk each other out. The locker doors slam open and closed around me. One girl is chatting up a guy with a terrible dye job. She's leaning over his arm, feeling it up. He flexes. She giggles.

The girl has him so wrapped up he doesn't even notice that she gives her friend the go ahead to slip his wallet from his pocket.

Wow. The power of love. Yuna had that power. She could look at a guy a few seconds and he swear it was destiny that brought them together and not just her deciding she liked his face and wanted to kiss it. She's not always so utilitarian though. That's the kind of thing I have to watch out for. Sometimes she gets this ideas in her head about people and its up to me to shake them out. She wraps them in silk and chiffon and glitz and glam and think they're her prince charming when, in reality, they're just a frog with a decent pair of eyes.

"Hey, Homura."

I have lean back to stop myself from crashing right into her latest one. The kind of boy who has no idea he's just a silly frog. Tadase Kotowari. For the most part, he does have that whole prince thing Yuna likes. Neat, black hair pulled back from his ears, shiny brown eyes. His shirt buttoned and tucked, red tie correctly placed with flattering thickness. Nice teeth. Handsome face. Money. All the essentials really.

"What's up, Money Bags?" I say, eyes darting over his shoulder. "You need something?"

"I was waiting for Yuna, but my father just called me. He wants me to go to my grandmother's. If she wants, I can leave the car for her and it'll take you both home. I'll call and…" he trailed, eyes looking down as he blushes, "we can just say I love you through the phone tonight."

Gross. No wonder I don't have a boyfriend. I'm allergic to garbage.

"Good idea." I clap him on the shoulder and get it moving, "I'll let her know."

I spin away from him, thankful, only because we wouldn't be walking home tonight. Take the stairs to the upper floor. If I remember correctly, it's the third door on the left. I rush pas the first two, and step through the threshold of the last just as Homura stands. Her eyes are narrowed with furious contempt. A storm fills the room.

"Thirty minutes," she says, as she walks past me in a huff, "I wasted thirty minutes waiting for that dummy."

I laugh, throwing my arms up. And then I remember, I was supposed to be getting a look at him to keep the idiot from dying. "Why didn't he show?"

"His friend says he got held up." Yuna sighs, "But that's no excuse."

"Who's his friend?"

"He's younger than us." She says, "Matsuno or –"

"Chifuyu?" the name floats up like a piece of wood from a wrecked boat. A smile wraps around the name, memories that don't—that shouldn't exist slip into my head. I think they're from different points. All a mix. But he's smiling. I'm smiling. We're happy. Something sour comes in and twists in my stomach. "Is that his name?"

She shrugs, "Maybe." She loops her arm through mine as she drags me from the room. "I was too angry to remember."

"D'you remember his face?" Of course she would. She's supposed to marry the guy, his face probably haunts her head right now.

She frowned, and then shook her head. "No. He wasn't that memorable. But—" she adds quickly, "he did seem nice."

Nice. I frowned at her, "Just that?"

She nods absently. "Really nice."

"Nice enough to fall in love with?" I ask, nudging her arm with the grin of a co-conspirator.

She laughs loud at that, seizes with it, grabbing hold of me to keep steady as tears slipped into her eyes. Her laugh is deep and physical, throws her almost to her knees. I have to catch her on her wobbly legs. Finally, after she sobers, she throws a shining laugh my way, "You're funny, you know that?"

Ah, shit.

"Keisuke seemed to be super important to him," Yuna remarks after we've made it down to the front entrance. "He begged me to give him another chance on Monday. Swore he'd be there." Yuna laughs, "He must be pretty interesting to make that Matsuno beg like that. It wasn't forced either. He was insistent, loyal." Yuna's voice grows quiet, "I wonder what kind of person inspires that kind of loyalty."

I know that tone, the way it glides over her words. She's imagining, fixing this Baji up in her head to turn him into something he's not, dressing him up in silk and cufflinks and brass and black—

"Keisuke was held back,"she tells me, keeping that whistful tone. "He'd be in our year, otherwise."

"Umm-hmm." I say, eyeing her carefully, like a bomb about to drop. Keisuke, she says, like she knows him personally. Matsuno for poor Chifuyu, like she wasn't engaged to the man in the future! Like he doesn't exist to her.

"I think I will help him." she says, her lips turning into a smile. "I think it's almost unfair for me not to."

Again, ah, shit.


I lay down on my bed, contemplating while my cat, Bam rests on my side. Tail is trying to worm its way into my nose for some reason and I just don't have the heart to tell him it won't get far.

I need answers, that much I know. I need to get a looksee on this Baji. Follow him around, discovering a surefire way to do that without arousing suspicion was paramount.

I flip my phone open, do a quick search and hit call.

It rings twice, then three times.

I sigh, when she finally answers, "Why are you letting it ring three times before answering? I know you're just sitting by your phone."

"That right there." Jun says, before abruptly hanging up the phone.

I call again. Three rings, she answers. "Okay, so I need your help."

Click.

I call again. Three rings, she answers. "Hello, Jun. I hope you're having a lovely evening."

She snickers, "What do you need?"

So difficult. "You got a picture of Baji on you?"

She scoffed, "How weird do you think I am? Of course not."

"Do you have a picture of Mikey?"

She's quiet, "Why do you ask?"

"Right," I say, "And I'm weird for thinking you'd have a picture of Baji."

"What do you need? I'm soaking here!"

"Gross, you're in the tub and you answered your phone?"

Click.

I call again. She answers, this time on the fourth ring. "Someone's on a power trip."

Click.

I call again. She answers, again on the fourth. "My apologies. Can you tell me where Baji would be about his time?"

"No."

"Useless."

"But," she starts with an annoying lift to her voice, "I can talk to someone who would know."

"Who?"

"His neighbor."

"Nice." I didn't expect to get his address so soon. Am I that lucky?

"Not for free." No, apparently.

"I don't have any money."

"I don't want your money. I want a favor."

"Whatever."

"No limits."

I paused, "This sounds weird."

"It's not, trust me."

"Give me a hint."

She groaned, "I'm hanging up now—for good."

"Fine! Fine. Just get me the boy's itinerary." I say and then ask, "aren't you wondering why I'm asking?"

"Don't need to." She says, "Yuna's got her eyes on him, right? He's her speed afterall."

Damn. But…I wouldn't deny it, it's not far from the truth and Yuna wouldn't be shamed. "Keep this between us?"

"Obviously."

About an hour later, with the help of Yuna's boyfriend's driver. The car is idling, waiting for me not a block away. I'm outside this Baji's apartment. Weird? I know.

The question of why not just wait until Monday is valid. But, I don't like waiting. That's all the reason I need.

"He should be home." Jun tells me as I peer up from my spot beneath the street lamp. I'm out of my uniform and in a pair of baggy, hip hugging sweats, red crop top and cropped jean jacket. My red fingerless red gloves, just in case I have to knock some sense into him. Pretty low stakes, if you ask me. "Tatsumi will wait on the balcony for you."

"Gotcha." I say, "Thanks for the help. You're like a spy or something."

I can hear the grin in her voice. "Tell me if it works out."

I make it up to his floor. Tatsumi in all her spikey glory, waves me down as I jog to the other end. She's wearing a very panda pull over with the ears and everything, barefoot, a lollipop lolling out of her mouth.

"King," she greets me with a subdued smile. "You boyfriend hunting for Yuna?"

Why does everyone think that? "Maybe I'm hunting for myself."

She snorts a laugh, and gives me a head nod, gesturing down beside her to the next door. "Good one, King."

These people. "Thanks, you're a real gem."

"I want my favor."

"Not you too." I groan, "Fine. What?"

"I want a hangout."

"A hangout?"

"Just us."

"Uh, why?"

"Because we would be great friends, but you're too stubborn to admit it." Giving a final lick before biting into her lollipop, she steps away, "Plus I have a crush on your sister and I want to be closer to her."

Damn. That definitely tracks, everyone's in love with her, even people who normally don't seem to care about that stuff. "You know you're not really her type, right?"

"I know, I just want to be her friend." Tatsumi says it with such conviction, I almost wish she was her speed. Sure would beat her falling for another knuckleheaded idiot.

"Okay…" I say, easiest deal I've had to make all day. "Done."

"Monday, after school, you and me."

"Okay, okay. Can I go now?"

Tatsumi gestures to the door and leaves me be. Unlike Jun, she's not all that fussy. Pretty easy.

I crack my fingers as I stand in front of it. "Let's get this over with."

I ring the door bell and take a step back, leaning over the railing to wait it out.

The streetlamps are on but its really not all that dark, not really. The sky still has a touch of orange, while the purple creeps in to take over. It's pretty.

The door opens. I turn as the light spills onto my face. my sharp comment dies in my throat as a warm voice greets me.

"Hello? May I help you?"

I hesitate as a very pretty woman wipes her hands on her apron as she looks me over. Her hair is in a low ponytail, dark eyes, slightly purple with the loss of sleep.

"Oh, um," I spin and step toward her, "Hi! Good evening. I hate to come around so late but I was wondering if, uh, I could see…"

Shit, can I call him Baji? No her last name is Baji. What should I call him? my friend? No the jig would be up then.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, seeing to get it into his head that she somehow remembered me. Not that I'd complain. "You must be his little friend. Please, come on in! Keisuke's just doing the dishes. He'll be done in a second."

Not sure what else to do, I followed Mrs. Baji and let her lead me inside. It was a small cramped apartment, barely any room to place my shoes by the door. It was homey though, smelled like to go food and dish soap but homey, none the less.

"Keisuke!" she called into the kitchen while I waited in the entrance. "Your little friend is here to see you! She's very polite….and pretty!"

The little friend remark hits me again, and I can't help but do the parent translation. Whenever Yuna has a boyfriend, dad calls him a little puppy, mom calls him her 'little friend.'

Oh, crap. Why didn't I think any of this through? Plan for any of it?

I just showed up, no plan, no accounting for parents. I mean, what did I expect?

There's a little grumbling, but she turns back to me with a smile, "Come on. Don't be shy. You can wait on the couch."

She escorts me past the entrance and into the sitting area, the kitchen blocked off by cabinets. Still I could see him over the sink, driving the last dish before walking around and pausing. His hair is pulled up into a lazy ponytail, chucks of black curtaining both sides of his face. He's out of his uniform as well, in a plain black t-shirt and grey pants.

I give him a little wave with my hand as his brows rise to the roof. He's not angry, utterly floored more like. Speechless.

His mom looks between us, taking our silence for…quiet bliss maybe? I couldn't be sure, but she smiles.

Baji finally works his mouth up to talk, "Homura?"

The fuck does he know my name for? I mean, I know, his but I've been given a duty to watch out for his ass from the literal gods. I've put hours into tracking his ass down. Before that, I didn't know him. I thought it would be mutual. Apparently not.

Despite my surprise, I grin, "Hey, can I talk to you for second? It'll be real quick." Then, with a glance at his mother, "It's personal."

She gets the hint and shuffles away from us, "I'll go make some tea. Keisuke, pull your bed down so she can sit."

"Yeah, Mom." He says, as she reaches over to squeeze his arm. He gives her a look, slightly pink now with embarrassment. "I got it."

"Did you…?"

"It's clean, Mom." He groans, letting his head drop back.

"Just checking." She gives me a wink, like we're on the same side. She has no idea. "We wouldn't want your little friend to be uncomfortable."

I bit down on my tongue, to force myself not to laugh. I couldn't be more comfortable.

His pinkening color deepens, and he walks past me to point me down the hall. "It's this way."

Barely suppressing a laugh I give his mom a wave and follow him into his room.

Despite the warning from his mom, it's fairly neat, no more less than mine. He moves to let his bed down like his mom said, but I stop him, "It's okay. You don't have to do that. I'm just going to make this quick."

I say that, but start to poke around his room, walking further and squatting down to finger through his manga collection. "All these are about animals? You obsessed or something?" I ask and the glance to the back right. "You have a cat? No wonder. Me too." I smirk, "My cat could probably kick your cat's ass."

His lips almost smile, but he shakes his head, narrowing his hard, hazel eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, Homura?"

"Why do you keep saying my name like that?" I say and then scoot over to his closet. Pretty, average, mostly dark colors here. My eye caught on something black with gold lettering. He grabbed my hand, pulling me back.

"Why are you in my apartment?"

"Because I'm in love with you, and I've come to confess."

He drops my hand fast enough, face redder than a balloon.

I laugh, "I'm joking, you goof. I'm here because you're obviously batshit crazy. Who let's a stranger into their house this time of night? Into their room, no less? I could have a knife. I could stab you!"

He gives me a confused look, "You're the one who said they needed to talk to me."

"And I do, but still. You have no sense of self preservation." I remark, and then point to that outfit he wouldn't let me touch, "What's that for? Boy band? You have the face for it." Yuna would love him all the way up to his ponytail.

"Homura." He intones again, trying to wrangle me in for whatever reason. "What do you want?"

I go to tease him again, but change my mind. "How do you know me?"

"You came to see me, remember?" He reminds me. And I just look at him. he sighs, "We went to elementary together before you moved."

"I moved? Shit. That's right." I'd completely forgotten. Something rang a bell in the back of my mind, but it was brief.

"You used to steal my food and put sand in it."

"Wait," I smiled, "I did that? But that's so terrible. Did you at least tell on me?"

"Do I look like a snitch to you?"

"I guess not." I say, "damn. No wonder I forgot. I was a shitty kid. You must've at least hit me or something or said something about my sister?"

"I was nice to you and Yuna."

Yuna. He said this name like he knew her personally. "Really?"

"You cut my hair."

Wow! I was floored. Was I really a bully? Damn. "You must've—"

Then, it came back to me like a wave. Baji with that weird flip hair style, and big fat smile. Friendly, everyone liked him, wanted to be around him. Me and Yuna being among those people. Yuna sitting beside him, all of six, her kissing him on the cheek. He pulled away, told her to stop, that he didn't like her. "You're my boyfriend." She'd decided.

"No, I'm not!" he yelled back.

Her first and last rejection. Most of them just went along with it, said yes. He didn't and he did it in front of everyone. She came to me, crying.

And I, well, I made them even. I cut his hair, I ruined his food, I shoved him, pushed him, glared at him. didn't pick him for dodgeball and groaned when he landed on my team. I tried my best to make sure he knew I hated him.

The little shit was never mean back, for whatever reason. "Why did you never hit me back?"

He shrugged, petulant now, looking elsewhere, "I don't hit girls."

"You really should've. I was awful to you and I was never sorry. Like ever. I slept like a baby at night."

"I get okay! Can we move on?"

I blinked, "Oh. Well, my bad. Look, but back on topic. You do really need to start using some common sense."

His brow pulled up on one end, rearing for a fight or argument. "Oh, yeah? I use common sense"

"Yeah. You're going to get yourself killed one of these days, literally." I say flippantly, ignoring whatever rebuttal he had for me. "That's why I'm here. I'm here to make sure you don't die."

With that I shuffle over to his desk and pop open a pen. I snatch open a notebook.

"Hey! Watch it. I draw in that." He says, reaching over me, "You can't just come into someone's house and start using their stuff." So antsy. Jeez. It's just one page.

"Okay," I say, and then gesture toward him, "then give me something to write on."

"What do you need it for?" He asks, but produces what looks to be a homework notebook.

I take it out of his hands. And begin to write. When I'm finished, I shove the notebook up to his eyes. "This is my phone number. Call me if there's an emergency and I'll save your sorry ass."

With that, I walk around him.

"Woah—what's—"

"That's right! Gimme your number. And don't make that face. It's not like that." I say, make a gimme motion with my hand. Thinking better of it, I pop open my phone. "Just gimme your phone, I'll get it myself."

Baji just looks from me to my hands and to me again. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'll tell you if I figure it out," I say, "for now, give me your number so that I can keep tabs on your suicidal ass."

He looked at me, exasperated, "What the hell are you talking about?"

What about that was so difficult to understand? Like really? I just told you! "Can I get your number, please?"

"Not until you explain."

"I can't explain what I don't know, and besides, how do I know if telling you won't screw everything up." I say, "For right now, I just need you to trust that I am trying to help your irritating ass. I mean you no harm. You believe that at least?"

Baji seriously considered this, even stared at me, looked me deep in the eyes so long it began to make me feel a bit was strange. Boy did he have a thousand mile stare, the kind that stopped you full on in your tracks, kept you from moving or thinking without their permission. That kind.

He nods. "I believe you."

That…was fast. No wonder he dies. He's an absolute lune. "Okay, then gimme your number and you better answer when I call. First ring too. And my messages, I expect prompt and lengthy responses."

Blinking like I'd explained gravity in german, he takes the pen instead of handing over his phone like I asked, he grabs my wrist and began to print on my arm. He presses down, each stroke sending a giggle up in my brain. "Chill—Chill! That tickles!"

When he's done, I glance down at the sloppy script. "My phone was in that hand you grabbed."

"You got it, don't you?"
I roll my eyes, moving towards his door. "I liked you better when you let me bully you."

"Didn't you just apologize for that?"

"What?" I asked with a grin, "You thought I meant it? Anyway, I'm going to call when I get home. If you don't answer, I'm coming back here and I'm going to scream in your ear and embarrass you all over this neighborhood, got it? I mean it, too."

He chuckled, despite the warning in my voice. "Whatever you say."

I nod my head at the affirmative, "it's good to know you know who's in charge." I then pull it open, pausing only to say, "Oh, and please, whatever you do, don't do anything stupid without consulting me first. I highly recommend it for your own survival."

I opened the door and he followed me out, on my heels, his eyes boring into my head like he's still trying to come to grips with what just went down.

He just needed to accept it. It would go easier that way. "Tell your mom thank you for me, for the tea? She's really sweet." I pause as I slip my shoes on, tapping my shoe down to make sure it's snug. "Oh, and Baji?"

Those eyes lose focus on everything but me, forcing me to the forefront. They're so weirdly intense, I want to break all contact immediately. I swallow, "Be careful with Yuna. You're off your rocker, but you're too nice for your own good." I tell him, "she'd chew you up and spit you out." Not to mention, she's supposed to marry Chifuyu, but I'll keep that to myself for now. Telling Yuna she's supposed to do something is like telling her to please, please do the opposite. There was no help for Chifuyu now. She doesn't love him until she's older anyway, wiser and less prone to…whatever it is she does. Poor old, Chifuyu's just going to wait it out. "She's dangerous."

But, don't worry, buddy. I'll make sure you're together in the end. That and make sure this one, lives.

I then give a final wave, "But, who knows?" I grin over my shoulder at him, eyes not flinching from mine. "You might be into that."


Author's Note: Homura's approach is a bit different from Takemicchi's She loves a good, direct path to the problem. Anyway, i hope you guys enjoyed!