GENDER CONFUSED?! (oh no…)
Wow...for the first time I reached the tenth chapter of any of my story…I've got lots of half-baked ideas in my notebooks and they were only up to five chapters at the most…congratulate me, won't you? Lately few people have been reading this story…----sighs-
"…"-mirror speaking
Disclaimer: I would still have to steal to own something. How can I steal an anime? Plus, I like it better when it's owned by Higuchi Tachibana….
CHAPTER 10. Unstable Minds And Talking Mirrors
He needed to do something and quick.
If he remembered correctly, then the beans would be spilled.
But what? But what? But what?
A short yelp broke through his thoughts just as the tape was about to reveal it, and the loud sound of the player crashing on the floor.
A heavy weight fell on his lap right before he was given a chance to react. Looking up, he saw that he couldn't see Hotaru because the heavy weight belonged to someone he wasn't expecting.
Noda-sensei.
Noda-sensei was his savior right at this moment, do not mind that his thighs were ready to give way.
"N-Noda-sensei?", this from Hotaru.
"Ah, Hotaru-san! How old are you now?"
"I'm 16 right now, sensei..."
"Good. I am in the right time again." He scanned his surroundings. "I'm in your lab Hotaru-san? This is such a nice comfy seat you have."
"Yes, sensei, this is my lab. And your oh so comfy seat is Ruka."
It took him only a moment before he fully realized it was not a joke.
"What?!"
He stood up so suddenly that Ruka had to suppress a groan as the weight suddenly lifted off his lap. He breathed a sigh of relief.
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"Oh…uh…" Noda was wondering what Ruka was doing inside hotaru's lab, and why they were facing each other. Of course, the fact that he just came from a time were he had seen the two of them together had a lot to contribute to that.
He looked from Hotaru, to him, then back to Hotaru, and he loudly cleared his throat. Whatever was happening in here, he shouldn't have interrupted. Never mind that Hotaru's usually placid face was a little disappointed, and Ruka's usually innocent face was a little grateful (why should Ruka feel grateful?), he felt that he had intruded on something very vital between the two of them.
Oh well, he better escape right now, he had a lot to catch up to after a day of traveling in time.
He said his goodbyes and rushed out of the room.
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'Did Noda-sensei just rush out of the room?', he thought, hearing the door close with a soft sound.
Ignoring the feeling that Noda-sensei was probably thinking something that does not exist; he finally stared at Hotaru, who stared back. It was Hotaru who first broke the pregnant silence with narrowed eyes.
"Seems like you're saved?"
He blinked. She's angry?
"Seems like it."
He risked a glance at the broken player and tape on the floor.
"I can still fix it and you know what, after I fix it, we can continue our little tête-à-tête. Maybe next time, I'll even serve tea." The last statement dripped with sarcasm, he thought. He sighed again, there was no help for it, Hotaru was like someone bent for…ah, whatever, but he knew he couldn't always get what he got today. In addition to that, he doesn't mind more teachers sitting on his lap and taking it for a comfy seat.
He doesn't mind for more tête-à-têtes with Hotaru too.
He decided that very second to just show her what she wanted to know.
"Hotaru…?", he started hesitantly.
"What?", she sounded a little annoyed as she stood up from her seat. He stood up too.
"I…he…", he sighed and simply grabbed her wrist. He was finally going to be the one who'll end this farce.
"What? You? Hey!" Hotaru sputtered, Ruka never once dragged her by her wrist, it didn't hurt, his grip was gentle and maybe that's the reason why she was simply surprised.
She looked up at Ruka's clear blue eyes, so different from hers which were dark violets. Okay, maybe for once she'll let him take the initiative.
Seeing her willingly comply with what he wanted to happen, his grip loosened.
And his eyes locked with hers, and he immediately let go of her wrist as if scalded.
"Ah…I'll just…how about my room?", now that didn't seem to sound right.
Hotaru raised an eyebrow.
He couldn't take it back already,
"Well?"
"Alright with me."
"Good."
"He's there right now?"
He was speechless.
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He slowly opened the door to his room, knowing full well that he had a lot to explain to her. Starting from why he had bought that damned talking mirror and why he had never managed to throw it out.
As soon as Hotaru had entered his room, he immediately closed the door, lest someone else see them. Turning towards the Hotaru---
WHAM!
Her bag, the one that always contained her equipment, could really hurt.
"What was that for?!", he asked her in almost a shout. His hand rising automatically to comfort his cheek.
Hotaru, unperturbed by his outburst, merely raised her eyes calmly to his. (He was taller than her by four inches and still growing, as it appears with her daily measurements, why she cares about measuring him, she doesn't know.)
"I get the feeling that by the end of your 'explanation', I'll have to hit you hard on the head."
He scowled.
"That wasn't even hard enough, your cheek will only throb, and it will not bruise. Don't worry. I could always take you to the clinic myself if I'm wrong."
She smiled, amused at his expression. Her eyes sparkling. With a quick movement, she turned on her heel, her hair following her movement, and sat on the bed.
"Hey, who told you you can sit on my bed?"
Instead of answering, Hotaru crossed her legs, and met his eyes from across the room.
"At least, take off your sandals." He grumbled, putting his hands into his pockets and went where the mirror was and stood in front of it.
Hotaru(her image in the mirror) seemed to look as dispassionate as ever.
He took a deep breath and started to explain.
"See this?"
"Yes, I do. It's a mirror."
"Well, actually, it's more than a simple mirror…"
"…Hmmm…." She looked doubtful.
He tore his eyes from hers and stared straight at his own in the mirror, and whispered, "Come on, just talk, show her I'm not…I'm not what she thinks I am".
His image in the mirror had a thoughtful expression in it. The question, 'why would I?', clear in his eyes.
"She thinks I'm…I'm gay. There, you have it. It's your fault, by the way."
The perfect copy of his eyes darted to the girl staring at his reflection in the mirror.
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Hotaru, who was on Ruka's bed several steps away, could only see Ruka's back and his reflection. 'Had Ruka gone nuts and lost his marbles?'
"Hey, Ruka. How long would you stand there in front of your body-length mirror?"
"Damn you, speak up!"
She blinked. Ruka just shouted at the mirror.
"Ruka, you okay?"
Ruka faced her and implored with his eyes.
"Ah, wait. Wait just a sec. I'll definitely work this out."
"A-all right."
She sat back down on the bed; she hadn't noticed that she was ready to jump out of his bed to help him.
Had years of her blackmailing finally get to him?
"Know what, Hotaru? He", Ruka flicked a thumb at the mirror, "he is usually so talkative and now he won't talk."
"Oh, yes, yes. I'll wait."
Ruka dropped his head.
"I don't know Hotaru. He just simply refuses to talk. I'll bet he thinks its fun."
She didn't answer. Feeling doubtful about his state of mind.
She slowly rose out of the bed and stood. When Ruka had faced the mirror once again, she slowly tiptoed to the door, barefoot, her hand carrying her sandals.
Okay, two more steps, one more…I'll finally be able to get out of this room.
His hand reached out and wrapped around the doorknob. It was then that she heard the voice of that other man.
"Hey, Ruka, seems like she thinks you're mentally unstable."
There was a hint of humor in his voice.
"Thank God, you finally decided to speak. I thought Hotaru would close that door without her knowing the truth." Relief was evident in his voice.
"What do you mean by that?" , she asked in a cold voice. So Ruka had known she was traipsing to the door. And what the heck, the mirror could indeed talk.
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Hotaru wasn't quite shocked by the presence of a talking mirror, right? Why kaya?
Oh well…..how was it?
You want a kiss to happen before the end of this story? Then simply send a review!!!!
(The number of reviews I receive should be more than five)
The end is near, btw.
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