Children of the Mirror

...6th Part: Dark...

I didn't talk to Krad for months after that one strange morning, but the dreams didn't go away, as much as might've tried to force them out of my brain.

I was always running through museums and other giant display buildings or old structures, snatching up this piece or that, and getting chased down by numerous guards and this one blue-haired kid. They never caught me, of course, but it was still really odd – especially the kid. The kid didn't make sense.

The red-haired kid in my head was there all the time, too. He'd either be talking to me in my mind, or more recently, the dreams had been long enough that I'd gotten away with whatever artwork it was and suddenly I'd be inside this kid's body; in his mind. And I couldn't explain any of it.

I dreamed of flying a lot, too – that much was fun. And this pair of twins popped up every now and again, which was interesting. But I started to dislike seeing them because I'd just turn into that red-headed kid again.

Krad showed up even less than the girls, and every time he did make an appearance, he was either trying to kill me or the red-head. It irked me that I didn't know the motive for this – maybe because I'd kissed him? But that sounded ridiculous when I thought about it.

He never managed to kill either one of us, and for that I was somewhat grateful. If I was going to have dreams about some really weird alternate universe life, I might as well get through it with as little damage as possible.

Oh, and what was even stranger than the other boy that was always chasing me, was that he and Krad seemed to be in the same predicament that the red-head and I were in.

. . .

"Dark, quit spacing out on me," Tsuki said. "What? Aren't you sleeping these days?"

I threw a glare at her. "Of course I sleep. What kind of a question is that?"

"You have been really out of it lately, Kaito," Akane said, joining in on the conversation. Akane was the only other girl in our group besides Tsuki. In a crowd, you'd be able to pick her out without hardly even trying. She had short, spiky hair that she kept dying hot pink, and wore the most bipolar-looking clothes I'd ever laid eyes on.

"Seriously, Dark," Furishi agreed. "Some of us haven't been able to buy lunch –"

"– or anything else –" Akane interrupted.

"– for weeks, now, because you haven't been doing your job," Furishi finished his sentence.

"You're all ridiculous," I said shortly. "I know you all have your own money. Just use what you've got or steal your own! Damnit; I'm not your mother!"

The seven of them all stared at me in disbelief. I'd never really yelled at them like that before. Sure, sometimes they could really piss me off, but I'd never been so irritable before. And my simple occupation of pit-pocketing, I rather enjoyed.

I was just confused, that's all. "Sorry guys," I muttered. "You know what... I'm gonna go... get some fresh air or something." I got up from the table and walked out of the building. I could feel all fourteen eyes boring into my back as I went.

. . .

When I got outside, I found myself meandering toward a group of maple trees toward the front of the school property. No one was around. Heaving a huge sigh, I fell back against the trunk of one of them, sliding down to sit at its base, my arms draped over my knees.

I think I nearly fell asleep, until I tall pair of legs came to stand next to me. I squinted up at Krad, who was looking down at me in puzzlement.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me. I'm tired."

"Do you mind me asking why?"

I closed my eyes again, ignoring the knowledge of who I was talking to, or maybe I just didn't care. "Funny dreams," I said simply.

"About what?" he wondered.

I scowled a bit. "Some weird alternate life or something," I explained. "And this random red-head kid..."

"I see..."

I opened my eyes to look at him again. "You got a girlfriend?" I wondered. I don't know what possessed me to ask, but I did. I was just curious, and I didn't mind talking to him. As odd as it may be, talking to strangers can be easier than talking to people you know.

"What?"

"A girlfriend," I repeated.

He shook his head. "What do you think, idiot?"

"Oh."

Krad laughed – I don't think I'd ever heard him laugh before – and he sat down next to me, setting his book off to the side. I couldn't really describe his laugh, but I rather liked it. I began to laugh, too.

Even though I didn't know what was funny.