Another Chance
Disclaimer:I don't own Chrno Crusade or any of the characters!!!!
Thinking up the strategies was one thing but doing them was another. One tends to feel less confident and nervous when the actual moment has arrived. In this case, that is what Chrno was feeling at that very moment-nervous and without any confidence. The main problem he was facing, among his many mixed feelings, was nervousness as his lack of confidence stemed from it. Of course said mixed feelings includes awkwardness and embarrassement too. Awkwardness was because Rosette and he did not really have a good friendship to begin with thus wooing her would be very awkward in such circumstances. Embarrassement was due to the fact that what he was about to do in the next few minutes was really embarrassing considering his reputation. Whatever his feelings were, he would just have to put them aside and get the mission over with before his courage fails him.
'This is so embarrassing... Wish that I didn't have to do it but hey, I lost my chance the last time round... I should make full use of today's chance before it's too late again..' thought Chrno as he tried to encourage himself. 'But wouldn't it make her even certain that I'm a weirdo especially since her impression of me wasn't good to start with.I'm nuts. Why am I doing this? Mayeb I should just give up on this mad plan of mine and think up something more effective...'
"Chrno? Helllooooo? Earth to 'Mr' Chrno!" Chrno pulled himself from his long train of thoughts and tried to focus on the hand that was waving into his face which, to his dismay, belongs to the very person he was thinking of.
"May I ask just what are you doing showing that annoying face of yours in front of me?" said Chrno as he tried to cover his embarrassment of being caught day-dreaming. Unfortunately, it also brought an abrupt end to any plan of his to woo the maiden who had captured his thoughts just minutes before as said maiden was now crossing her arms with her face appoaching the colour of a tomato...
"EXCUSE ME? I wasn't the one who was caught day-dreaming about goodness-knows-what nonsense! Besides, it wasn't as if I wanted to look for you..I only came to find you as Satella, the new girl, was looking for you! She is having some trouble with coping with the subjects she is taking so since you are the top student, I thought that you might be able help her..."
"And how would you know that she's not coping well, Miss Devil? Besides, even if she's having trouble, why can't you help her and have to resort to coming to me for help?"
"I'm going to ignore the part on 'Miss Devil' but to answer your questions, she happens to be in the same class as I do and since we are becoming fast friends, I really want to help her to be able to cope in school. As for why I have to resort to coming to you..." Rosette trailed off as she started blushing.
"Because?" probed Chrno for Rosette to continue.
"Fine. It's because I did poorly for my last few tests too, alright?! " replied Rosette as she turned away to hide her embarrassment.
"What? That is so-" Chrno stopped in mid-laughter as he remembered about what had caused him to be caught day-dreaming in the first place. If he teased Rosette, wouldn't all the planning have been for nothing? No, he should start changing his attitude to her from now on so that he will be able to approach her more easily which also means that Rosette will be able to regain her memory earlier. Judging from his behaviour towards Rosette in the last few minutes, whatever good impression Rosette has of him, if any at all, would all have been replaced by his horrible attitude towards her. So instead, Chrno changed to a softer tone and said, " I would love to help Miss Harvenheit with her studies. Rest assured that she would receive whatever help she needs from me."
Rosette was surprised by the sudden change in tone. "Um... Chrno? Is your voice alright? Or is there something wrong with my hearing? Did you just speak to me politely?"
Chrno, unable to reply, shrugged his shoulders and quickly walked away before he did anything else to foul up his own plan again.
Rosette turned over in bed as she dreamed the same dreams again.
"Chrno... Chrno... CHRNO!" Rosette woke up screaming as she gasped for breath from the horrible nightmare that wakes her up every night. "Why... " sobbed Rosette as she clutched the blanket closer to her chest. "Why must Chrno leave me? Why am I having these nightmares? Who is this Chrno? Why are we seperated? Why do I these dreams of being together with him and being seperated from him? More importantly, why am I dreaming of him consistently every night? Why? Why? WHY?" screamed Rosette as she cried herself back to sleep.
Chrno woke up with a bright smile. He hasn't been having any nightmares since he recovered his memory. He smiled at the thought but soon his smile turned into a frown. A thought had just occured to him. Since he's having nightmares, what if... what if Rosette was having them too? If it is so, then he had to hurry with his plan to help recover her memory because if both of them are having nightmares, it must be that their instincts are trying to warn them about something. But what could it be?
"Aion?"
"Huh?" asked Rosette as she looked up from the homework she was doing. Azmaria was staying overnight at Rosette's home for a fortnight as her parents will be working abroad. Having Azmaria over seemed like a good idea at first however, judging from Azmaria's actions lately, it might not be so at all.As of this moment, Azmaria was starring at her with large innocent eyes and speaking to her, " I said, I heard that today, a new teacher has come to replace Mrs Smith since she retired-and he's real cutie too! He has a weird name though. He's called Aion or, as he told us to call him, Mr Aion. He seems to be older than us by no more than five years though."
"I see I see..." said Rosette distractedly. All that is on her mind now is the Math problem in front of her and she couldn't concentrate with Azmaria's constant chatting which was a weird behaviour that started ever since the Halloween Party. Suddenly, she sat up straight and stared Azmaria in the eyes."What did you say your teacher's name was again?"
Mr Aion. You know him?" asked Azmaria curiously.
"Yes... I mean no... but... never mind... " replied Rosette in a distracted voice.
"Is there any problem with him? " 'Rosette's tone doesn't sound right. There must be something wrong.' thought Azmaria.
"No...There isn't a problem.. I think.."Azmaria leaned sown and squinted suspiciously at Rosette. However Rosette looked away and continued with her homework. 'Aion... It was the name that the Chrno from my dreams kept on mentioning! There is something really fishy in the air but I couldn't quite put my finger on it because dreams can't be true...right? Perhaps it's just a coincidence in the name. It must be.'
End of Chapter
