(Moshi moshi! Ah! I'm so slow. But I'll work hard. Thanks for the support guys. -
San…Ni…Ichi…GO!!)
He looked at me with those aquamarine eyes. All I wished was for him to be with me. I felt him brush my hair with his fingers and his soft hands were supporting my head. "Hikari…return to your world. We can never be together...," it was those words that made my heart crumble…forever.
8.00 am
The bright light from my balcony shone on my face. I blocked the strong sunlight with my palm and rose out of bed. I felt my eyes. 'No tears…I suppose I'm getting over him,' I thought. 'Has it really been three years?'
The door opened and I saw my dad with a cheery smile on his face. I couldn't let him see me so depressed so I smiled back. He looked around the room and walked over to my bed where I was sitting. He tried his best to avoid any stuff on the floor. He sat down and complained about the mess in my room. "I could've sworn the weather report told me there wasn't a tornado last night. I guess it must've happen in this room."
I gave dad an annoyed look but he merely gave his usual smile. "Anyway, Hikari…we're going out for your birthday tonight. Go and invite your friends, okay?"
I merely nodded and he left the room. "My fifteenth birthday…I wonder what will happen tonight. I…know that it's going to be really special," I said.
My name is Hikari Tsukumiya and three years ago I got sucked into a mysterious book called "The Universe of the Four Gods." It was there I found out my family's secret and lost someone precious to me.
My mother was some sort of priestess there and my father came from that book. Then this god, Suzaku, granted my mother a wish…for my father to be a being of this world. When I got sucked into that book, I learned all sorts of things and after my father rescued me from that book and returned home, he threw the book out. I never saw it again.
The countdown begins…daughter of the priestess…
"Huh? What was that?" I looked around but saw no one.
I put it out of my head and got ready for school. I took a quick shower and put on my uniform which was a long sleeved white blouse with a green sleeveless vest and a mossy green skirt. I ran out of the room and headed for the kitchen to eat breakfast. I ate a buttered toast and headed for school.
The countdown begins… daughter of the priestess…16 more hours…
"Hikari!!" a voice called out from behind.
I turned and saw Mikan, one of my three best friends. Mikan was pretty, with rosy cheeks and a sweet smile. She had the softest black hair which she tied in a low ponytail and warm brown eyes. "Yo!" I called from a distance.
She caught up to me and we walked to school together. "Hikari, you should get a boyfriend. You're old enough. It should be…," she paused as she looked around. "Like one of those guys."
I looked at where she was pointing and saw a group of four boys waving. It was obvious that they were waving at Mikan and not me. I laughed nervously. I then felt someone hold my hair, which was tied in pigtails. "Why would anyone want to date a girl who ties her hair like a five-year-old?" Mori said.
Mori was also one of my best friends. He had spiky black hair and black eyes. He was the son of my mom's best friend and was fairly attractive. Out of the three of us he was the oldest while I was the youngest. There was someone older than him. He was also one of my best friends, but he disappeared three years ago.
"Ow! Ow! Let go Mori!" I shouted.
He did as I said. "But you know getting a boyfriend could be a good idea. You can get over…'him'," Mori said.
I looked at him. "You're just saying that 'cause you want to agree with your 'honey-bunny here," I said pointing at Mikan.
Mori blushed and looked at Mikan. She merely stared and smiled. During the last three years, Mori had developed feelings for Mikan. I found out about it and promised to keep it a secret…unless Mori makes me very angry. If that happens, then I might spill the beans. Mikan doesn't know about this. She was always dense about this kind of stuff. When we all arrived at school, I told Mori and Mikan about my birthday that evening and they promised to come. Nothing exciting happened until third period.
Daughter of priestess…do you desire something…?
A voice came into my head but it was horribly painful. I clutched my hands at my head and screamed. "Tsukumiya, what's wrong?" the teacher asked.
"Hikari!" Mikan called out with a worried voice.
You desire something, do you not...daughter of the priestess? No…not something…
As time passed it became more painful. I fell to the ground and in a struggling voice I asked, "W-who are you?"
I…can grant your wish…
I was blacking out from the pain.
The wish…deep in your heart…
12.00 pm
12 more hours…daughter of the priestess…
He was right there. I could almost reach him. He was so near…yet so far. If only he held out his hands, then I could be with him. Embrace him…and tell him to never let go. But…every dream must come to an end…
"Hikari?"
Was he nothing but an illusion? Was that feeling nothing but an illusion? If he really did love me, why did he leave me?
"Hikari!"
I slowly opened my eyes and saw a worried Mikan and Mori. I groaned and sat up. I rubbed my head. "W-what happened?"
"We don't know. You suddenly screamed and you fainted. We don't know why though," Mori explained.
I recalled what the mysterious voice told me. "Wish…deep in my heart…," I repeated the words that the voice said.
I told my friends not to worry and that they should go and return to the classroom. Mikan offered to take me home but I declined saying that it would cause her too much trouble. I left the school early and headed to dad's school. Strangely enough, the teachers actually led me to where dad was. When I reached the gym, I saw dad and my uncle. "Uncle Keisuke! What are you doing here?"
"Keisuke's here about the reservations for your birthday tonight. What about you, young lady?" Dad said
I explained him about what happened at school minus the voices I heard. Dad told me to rest on the bench until school was over. After that, he'd send me back home.
8.00 pm
4 more hours…
I brushed my hair and made sure it was neat. I held it with a ribbon and checked to see if my clothes were okay. I was wearing a light blue dress that showed my slim figure. It was short and long-sleeved. I ran down the stairs and found my parents waiting for me. "Oh! Hikari! You look wonderful dear. I'm sure this day will be enjoyable. If only your father would let me cook for your birthday tonight," my mother said.
My father and I dread at the thought of mom's cooking. "I-I'm sure dad just wants to cherish your cooking for some other 'special' occasion, mom," I assured. 'Just not my birthday,' I thought.
"Yeah, honey. Like Hikari's 16th birthday for example," dad said.
I elbowed dad in the ribs. He gave a crooked smile. Dad was wearing a blue suit with a yellow tie. Mom on the other hand was wearing a long red dress sleeveless, but you couldn't notice it as she was wearing a fake fur jacket short sleeved.
10.00pm
I wandered around the restaurant and spotted Mikan and Mori. Mikan kept waving. Her hair was in a side ponytail and decorated with ribbons. Her dress showed her shoulders and only covered up to above her chest. She looked very attractive that night. "Hikari? Is that you? I didn't think you'd look good for once?" Mori said with a wide grin.
"You look good yourself, Mori," I replied.
Mori was wearing a simple checkered with jeans. His hair was well-combed, which was a rare sight. Mori was the type of guy which would look good in anything. "Mikan, don't you think Mori looks great?" I asked.
Mori's cheek turned into a shade of red. He lipped at me, 'You are SO dead!' Mikan didn't see since Mori was behind Mikan. Mikan was thinking hard. She looked at Mori a couple of times and finally said, "I think he looks like his usual self."
It seemed as if an arrow had struck Mori's heart. Mikan ran off. Mori looked as if it was the end of the world. I giggled at the defeated Mori. I felt thirsty and went to the long table full of food and drinks. "Orange juice? No…Apple juice sounds better. But a soda doesn't sound so bad either. Hmm…," I said deciding what to drink.
"You're so picky," I recalled someone saying that to me.
I grabbed a cherry soda and drank it. I recalled that person trying to grab a drink from me and drink it. His laughter… I gulped the soda again. His smile… I walked away from the long table. "Hikari…" His voice…
The soda in my cup splashed a little from a drop of tears. I realized I was crying and I couldn't stop. 'Shiki…' I thought as I ran out of the restaurant. I didn't care about where I was going. The only thought in my head was that blond haired person. My old best friend…no…the person I truly loved. 'Shiki…'
11.45
15 more minutes…
I didn't know how long I ran. I was exhausted and was gasping for air. After a short rest I looked around and noticed that I was in the old playground. When I was little I always played with Mori, Mikan and Shiki. We'd always talk and argue about the trivial things. I went into the forest and walked for at least ten minutes. I saw a cave in a distance and hurriedly ran towards it.
Inside, the cave was damp but further in was relatively dry. It may just be another cave to some people but it's very special to me. I closed my eyes as I remembered something about the cave.
I was running around in the forest. I was about five then. I was always mischievous and usually found myself in a heap of trouble. But being adventurous helped in some ways. It was how I met Shiki. He was drawing in the cave that time. I tried to surprise him but I suppose I wasn't stealthy enough. He made me swear to keep this place a secret from others, but I told Mikan and Mori. It was always like a secret base to all of us.
"Shiki…"
Tears flowed again. I've realized that all this time I've been running away from the truth. The truth that Shiki may never come back. "I was always saying that my birthday would be special…because I hoped that if I thought like that then you would come back and…we could together again…SHIKI!"
What…is your wish…daughter of the priestess?
"M-my wish?"
The wish that lies deep in your heart…
"I…I…"
A bird flew in and landed on my right shoulder. I suddenly found myself in somewhere familiar. Somewhere I had not been in three years. "I'm…in the book?"
No…you are merely a visitor here…You can go wherever you wish to go…but you are not really here…
I could've sworn it was the bird saying that but I had other things on my mind. I knew I wasn't too far from the old cottage where I was brought last time I was here. I walked for a while and saw the old cottage. The door creaked open. I panicked and hid behind a tree. 'Wait…I'm a spirit, right? Then I nobody should see me!'
Though I didn't convince myself that what I said was true, I gathered up all my courage and went out of hiding. My eyes couldn't believe it. The wind blew strongly. Leaves were blown by the wind. His hair was flowing so gracefully. I couldn't say anything until the wind died down. He looked at my direction. I started to cry again. "Crybaby…"Was what he always said when I cried.
I ran towards him. Hoping that now I can finally admit how I fell about him. He was standing there smiling. "SHIKI!!"
I…passed through him. I stopped and turned towards him. All I saw was his back. He looked at the sky. "Hikari?"
Did he saw me? I wanted to tell myself that he did but I really was a spirit. That incident just now proved it. "I thought I heard you calling me…Hikari…"
I suddenly found myself back in the cave. The bird resting on my shoulder flapped its wing furiously and flew away. "Was…I dreaming?"
A bright red light shone from the drawing Shiki did when he was little. "What's…happening?"
'Shiki's drawing…' I remembered when he drew it…
We were five then…Shiki and me…
"Shiki, what are you drawing?"
Shiki jumped and put one hand on the left side of his chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
I apologized and noticed he was drawing something. I tried to see what it was but Shiki kept blocking it with his body. I was getting angry and threatened him. "Shiki! Let me see it or else!"
"Or else what?" he asked unafraid.
"Or else I won't help you with your homework ever again."
"You're going to do it anyway. You say that now but tomorrow, you see me in trouble and you'll come to the rescue," he said it full of confidence.
I knew what Shiki said was right. I thought of Shiki's weakness which was…absolutely nothing. He was good-looking, good in studies, except math, great in sports; everything about him could be called perfection except… I finally got the perfect thing which would let Shiki show me what was behind him that seemed so important to him. "I'll go out with someone if you don't show me what's behind you."
It got him, all right. He looked at me with a very annoyed face. "Yup! With Mori!"
He had a giant grin and still hid what was behind him. I thought his rivalry with Mori would get it going. But I guess I was wrong.
"Seeing that you tried your best…I guess you can look…but no laughing. Okay?" he looked at me, trying to not laugh.
I was mad at him for laughing at the idea of me and Mori going out but I got what I wanted, so I shook it off. I saw…a… "Shiki? What is this sausage?"
He blushed out of embarrassment. "T-that's not a sausage! That's…you…" His voice was softer now.
I looked carefully and noticed that it was a girl with pigtails. I wasn't too sure about the egg next to the 'girl' though. I asked Shiki about it. "I'll tell you…ten years from now. I promise you this much, Hikari."
Although the red light now was blinding, I could now make out the drawing that Shiki had drawn so long ago. "You…drew yourself. Shiki, you drew yourself!!"
The red light shone even brighter. I couldn't open my eyes without risking it to be damaged now. When I knew it died down I slowly opened my eyes. I had to blink a few times before I could see normally again. "Why did that light appeared?"
I walked forward but tripped on something. I fell while screaming. "Ow! Ow! That hurts so badly." I moved my hands all around my dress and noticed that I had a hole on the top part of my dress which now showed my inner dress. I heard a groan and boy, was I angry. "WHY THE HECK ARE YOU LYING DOWN IN THIS CAVE, IDIOT?!" I shouted as I sat up.
I couldn't really see him as it was really dark. His silhouette was all that could be seen. I wasn't sure but I think he was looking around. He looked at me. "Who are you?" I demanded.
"…" his lips moved but I couldn't hear what he said.
"That egg…" he said.
That voice. It couldn't be. The clouds gave way to the moon and slowly my doubts were cleared. He crawled towards me. The more his face was shown by the moonlight the more tears flowed out. When he got close enough, I put my hand on his face. He rested his head on it. "…is me, Hikari."
My tears stopped flowing. He gave a cheery smile. "Happy birthday. Hope you got what you wished for." He said, falling to my laps.
Your deepest wish…has been granted…daughter of the priestess…
"I know it has…" I whispered to myself. "I know that…"
I looked at the sky and saw the moon. It seemed as if it was embraced by the stars. "…tonight…has been so special…"
(Hope you enjoyed that people. Next up: 'A promise.')
(Hmm…I should've given Shiki a different name. Maybe Tsuki. But what's done is done. I'll work hard to continue this fanfic. Thank you for the support everyone. See ya'!)