CHAPTER III

-awakening-

He passed most of the night walking around his small room. He paced absentmindedly, sitting on the bed, or the floor, then repeating the process all over again. He pressed his palms on his face, run his fingers through his dark hair, even opening the window to feel the cool breeze. But nothing would help. Kohaku was aimlessly wandering through the back and forth of his mind. Trying to find a single trace of his own life, his own self.

It has already been a month, since he found himself in this world. He had opened his eyes, and the first thing he had seen was the dark, narrow street he had been lying on. It should have been somewhere between evening and dusk, or so he thought, judging by the color of the sky. After observing the quiet alley, and his black clothes, he started thinking. Kohaku Nushi. That's my name. And apart from that, he could find out nothing else.

He didn't know what had brought him to this city, nor that school. Why did he even go to school? He was merely following something like an instinct, no, it was as if he was being pulled by some unknown force.

He looked at the random objects scattered in his room, under the dim light. A gentle, drizzling sound made him realize it started raining.

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Chihiro brushed her hair off her eyes, and tried to concentrate on class. The teacher's idle and slow voice didn't help whatsoever. It would have been easier if she wasn't struck by that odd feeling once again. She constantly had the sense of his eyes on her back. She turned around a couple of times, but she never saw him looking at her direction. He was always paying attention; his face was empty of emotions. At this rate, Chihiro thought that her grades would dive down right away. But for some reason, school and grades was the last thing bothering her. She had never been so enthusiastic in particular, maybe because everything seemed so troublesome anyway.

Some time later, the usual group was sitting on the usual table in the cafeteria. The girls had already analyzed everything about their new classmate, confirmed other gossip sources, went through every detail of the latest exam. Not having anything to talk about, they just started teasing each other and fooling around. Chihiro looked around and apparently, the person she had in mind was nowhere in the cafeteria.

She had thought about it many times, how she couldn't get him out of her head, even though they had never exchanged a word. It was something above her head. In no longer than a second, she knew what she had to do.

"Guys, I gotta go."

Aiko dropped Yuuki's plastic fork and looked up.

"Why, what's up?"

"I have to…um, hand my paper to Mr. Oshiro" Chihiro was a terrible liar, and she knew it.

"Huh. Okay." Aiko lifted one eyebrow.

"Alrighty. See ya later" said Yuuki, still looking for the fork on the floor.

She took the exit to the right and walked quickly past the announcement board, along the hallway. The weather was nice; the sunlight was shining on the grass and leaves, despite the previous night's rain. She was grateful for the sunlight. Scouting the yard, she knew exactly where to look, and it didn't take her long to find him.

She gathered all the courage she could get as she walked straight to the tree. Kohaku raised his head to look at her, even though she was quite a long distance away.

No, I'm not backing away now…

After some torturous seconds she reached the spot and forced a smile. He didn't look surprised to see her, not even curious. He always had this sense of maturity, maybe even wisdom. Chihiro was still trying to figure it out.

"I…I didn't formally introduce myself. I'm Chihiro" she said and wished her voice was clearer.

"Hey, there. Uh…why not sit down?" he said as his eyes focused on her.

Chihiro felt a small spark of encouragement but it didn't stop her vivid pulse. She sat on the grass beside him, wondering what else to say.

"Have you noticed the birds lately?" he said as he was randomly glaring ahead "Well, in fact all animals."

"…The…birds?" she repeated as something moved in her memory. She had indeed seen a strange bird, but it was definitely just her imagination "So what about them?"

"They are trying to tell us…something. I get that feeling. But I guess you just think I'm crazy."

"I don't, really. I know how it is when others defy your thoughts" Chihiro knew it, but she couldn't exactly remember when something similar had happened to her.

"I see. I appreciate that."

She discerned that sincere tone in his voice again that made her think of something familiar. Something so far away she couldn't touch, but it was definitely there.

"So…Kohaku, where are you from?" she tried to hide her curiosity and smile.

"It's kind of…a long story. I have grown up in Osaka but my parents wanted me to come here to, uhh, help my grandmother who lives alone. I actually live in my own apartment myself."

"Oh. That's good" duh, lame "I'm still living with my family. Well, I'm an only child actually."

Kohaku leaned on the tree trunk and closed his eyes. For a moment, Chihiro thought that he looked like something out of this world. As if he had been drawn out of a fairytale.

"Chihiro…" he muttered and turned his emerald eyes on her. His voice became serious again.

"Eh…yeah?" she said and felt her blood boiling under her skin.

"Can I trust you?"

"If you feel so. I suppose you can."

"Nah, just joking" he retorted, and they both burst into a small laughter.

"You're a weird one. And I thought that I was the only odd kid around here…" she exclaimed.

"If you put it like that I guess I can't be offended. Anyway, I'm going upstairs, I have to finish something about biology. Are you coming?"

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Hey guys! This is chapter 3 at last! I've been really busy with school. Duh what a huge pain. Hope my story isn't too lame, I did my best with the writing. Also, English is not my native language so don't shoot me. And ofc REVIEW OR I'LL HAUNT YOU TILL U DIE A VERY PAINFUL DEATH. Aha.