Disclaimer: Don't own it. Don't sue, please.
A/N: Third chapter. Last chapter had a bit of a cliffhanger, didn't it? This chapter's a little slower coming out (sorry) because I had something typed out, and then I realized this past weekend that it didn't work. So I scrapped it and started over. I hope this one's better. Anyways, thanks so, so, so much for the reviews (: I enjoy getting feedback!
Enjoy the story.
You
Chapter Three
"Good evening, Hitomi." He said.
Hitomi paused, unsure of what to say. She finally settled with, "What are you doing here, Van?"
Van grinned and motioned to the coffee shop. "I just got off work and I was going to stop by for some hot chocolate, but it seems like I'm too late."
Hitomi smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I already closed up for the night and everything."
"It's alright." Van shrugged, looking out at the empty street.
"Look, um…" Hitomi began, but Van interrupted her.
"You're not interested. It's fine. I get it." He said briskly, and walked off.
Hitomi was too stunned for words. Guilt tore at her insides, as her mind registered that this experience was faintly reminiscent of the occurrence at the floral shop. Except this time, she was the one being brushed off. Hitomi opened her mouth to call after him, to make him come back. The words formed in her mind, but no words would leave her lips, and she could only watch as he disappeared around the corner.
The cold wind picked up, and Hitomi shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her body. The sidewalk was dark and void of people, poorly illuminated by the occasional streetlamp. After staring that the corner for a few more seconds, she turned on her heel and walked home, trying to ignore the ache that had now settled itself in her heart.
Snow began to fall upon the town, and Hitomi didn't see Van again for the rest of that week. Whether it was a subconscious urge to avoid meeting him or pure coincidence, she didn't know. But either way, she found herself too busy to be worrying about those kinds of things. With the arrival of the cold weather came also an influx of customers into the coffee shop looking to warm themselves. Hitomi, still entrusted with the extra duty of deliveries, struggled between helping out Yukari and Geri at the now crowded shop and delivering the drinks before they got too cold.
After a few days of this, however, Hitomi noticed that Merle's floral shop had disappeared off her delivery route. She contemplating dropping by, but the events that occurred earlier that week would replay themselves inside her head, and she would immediately reconsider. 'It's not as if he cares anyways.' Hitomi thought as she walked briskly towards her next delivery destination, 'Things are better off this way.'
However, by Friday Hitomi couldn't take it anymore; guilt had overridden her resolve. She ended her shift at the coffee shop early, and headed over to the floral shop.
The door jingled merrily as usual, and the sight of the flowers irritated her…as usual. Merle was curled up in a chair behind the front counter, engrossed in a magazine. Hitomi walked up to the counter, and when Merle still made no acknowledgement of her presence, she cleared her throat.
Merle gave a start, and quickly shoved the magazine under the counter. "Hey Hitomi. What do you need?"
Hitomi fiddled with the edge of her coat nervously. "Is Van here?" She asked tentatively.
"No, you just missed him. Is something wrong?" Merle asked, frowning.
"No, nothing's wrong." Hitomi tried to change the subject. "Oh, hey, I haven't seen you around the coffee shop lately."
Merle gave her a surprised look. "Are you kidding me? I buy from you guys every day!"
"Really? But you're not on my route anymore…" Hitomi said confusedly.
Merle smiled. "Well. I didn't want you trudging through all that snow. So I go there in person every morning."
"Oh," Hitomi smiled, slightly surprised at her concern, "but really, I don't mind delivering for you. I mean, other-"
"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Merle said reassuringly. "So what's the real reason for your visit?"
Hitomi flushed. "I saw Van on Monday." She admitted quietly.
"And I'm guessing things didn't go too well?" Merle asked knowingly.
"Yeah. He wanted to get some hot chocolate, but I had already closed up. I was about to offer to open the shop back up for him, but I guess he thought I was going to bite his head off again, so he left. He didn't seem too happy with me either." Hitomi sighed.
"Don't worry too much about it." Merle grinned. "But hey, you want to know something interesting?"
"Sure."
"Van doesn't even like hot chocolate."
Hitomi walked away from the floral shop, her mind a bedlam of clashing thoughts and answers. Van didn't like hot chocolate. Then why did he come to find her that night? Maybe to talk, or maybe he was on his way somewhere when he saw her? No, no that can't be right. He came from work, and he headed back towards the floral shop when he left. And why did he leave so quickly? Why..?
Hitomi found herself at the door of her apartment. She dug in her purse for the keys, panicking for a second when she couldn't find them. Her hands found them a second later, and she quickly unlocked the door. She stepped inside, shut the door, and tossed her purse on the sofa. Her stomach mumbled something incoherent, and she headed towards the kitchen to find something to eat.
Hitomi was spreading peanut butter on a slice of bread when her doorbell rang. She placed the toast and the knife down on the plate, quickly brushed her hands off, and walked cautiously towards the door. She tiptoed and peered through the eye hole.
And found a magenta eye staring right back at her. Hitomi jumped away from the door, shrieking in shock when she faintly heard laughter on the other side of the door. Wait. That laugh sounded familiar. Crazy, diabolical...yep, it definitely rang a bell.
She yanked open the door, and a young man with silvery hair grinned at her, arms outstretched. "Dearest cousin of mine," He exclaimed loudly, "I have greatly missed-"
Hitomi promptly shut the door in his face.
"Okay, okay. I'm calm, I'm sorry. Can I come in please?" His muffled voice pleaded through the door.
Hitomi sighed, and opened the door to let her cousin in. She gestured to the couch, and sat adjacent to him on another sofa. Her sandwich would have to wait.
"Why are you here, Dilandau?" Hitomi asked. "How did you know I lived here? And you didn't even bother to at least call before showing up?"
Dilandau raised an eyebrow. "I did call. You didn't pick up so I left a message."
Hitomi glanced over at her answering machine. An angry red numeral was flashing on the display. Then she noticed that her phone was still disconnected. Oops.
"Anyways," Dilandau continued, "I'm here for college! I begin when spring semester does!"
Hitomi looked at him warily. "You do have a place to stay, right?"
Dilandau avoided her gaze. "Well, that does seem to be a bit of a problem right now…"
"DILANDAU!"
"OKAY, OKAY! I was supposed to stay with a friend of mine, but he's kind of kicking me out…"
"What did you do?" Hitomi groaned.
"Nothing…bad." Dilandau stared at the vase across the room, scratching his head. He seemed quite eager the avoid the subject.
Hitomi almost growled at him. Dilandau chose this exact moment to glance over at Hitomi – assuming that it was safe because she had not said anything – but paled when he saw the look on her face.
"I-I…I walked in on his girlfriend changing, okay?" Dilandau flushed. "I was looked for one of my books, and I walked into one of his guest rooms, and…well…" He winched as he touched a spot on his head that was apparently still tender. "I found out how painful cell phones can be when they're thrown to kill. I'm just sad that the cell phone didn't break. And then after injuring me, do you know what she does? That little bitch accuses me of peeping! Can you believe that?! The nerve of her! Like she has anything worth loo-"
"And he kicked you out right after?" Hitomi interrupted his rant swiftly.
Dilandau nodded, his expression still sour from the memory. Hitomi sighed and went on.
"I don't have any extra guest rooms in this apartment. I've lived alone ever since I've moved in. If you'd like to stay, you could sleep on the couch, or I could pull the air mattress out for you."
Dilandau's eyes lit up. "The sofa will do. Don't worry about a thing, Hitomi, it'll be like I'm not here at all! I'll keep out of your way, and I'll do all my own laundry and everything!"
"Alright. But! There's one condition. You need to find your own place within three months. I can't keep looking after you forever." Hitomi pursed her lips, and formed what she hoped to be a serious expression on her face. Her cousin looked a bit put-out by that piece of information, but he agreed.
"Okay then!" Hitomi stood up. "So where did you leave your stuff?"
"It's back at his place. We'll just go get it and-"
"There will be no need for that." A male voice smoothly interjected.
The two looked up simultaneously, and Hitomi immediately blanched at a sudden realization.
She had forgotten to lock the door when she had let Dilandau in.
And Allen Schezar, who was now standing in her doorway, had not even bothered to knock.