"The day of the annual competition has finally arrived, everyone! Who wants to participate?" I thrust my hand up so fast, I nearly succeeded in punching Zero right in his chin- which, in all honestly, probably would've hurt me more than him, but still, that wasn't really the point. Luckily, Zero had surprisingly quick reflexes and managed to dodge out of the way before I broke my knuckles. And his face. But, mainly my knuckles.
Ichii, looking fairly perplexed, switched his attention on to me, while Zero took a seat on the floor and sprawled out across my desk. "What's this?"
I smiled, barely managing to restrain myself from bouncing in my seat. "Every year, our class organises a Kimodameshi- A test of courage. All the students that want to participate return to the school at night, and wait outside for their turn- the aim is to make it all the way from the first floor to the roof with your assigned partner." Zero was hooked. He had this big, dopey grin on his face- it was actually really endearing to see, especially since he had these little dimples which only heightened his adorableness. "Also, there's a rumour that if you confess to your partner on this day, your love will definitely be a success!"
"This sounds like fun!" Zero said, leaning even further into his arms, his head tilted at such an angle, all I could really see were two preternaturally huge eyes staring up at me. I nodded frantically in agreement. "Have you done this before?" Again, I nodded- and for some reason, that really amused Zero. Ichii rolled his eyes and nudged the younger boy with his foot. Zero promptly stopped laughing, rubbed at his eyes and apologised, though it held no real sincerity. In fact, I could've sworn I could see a certain sparkle at his eyes- the of tiny remnants of tears clinging to his lashes. "It's just weird to think of you doing something like a test of courage. I mean, you basically get scared of everything."
"Well... You are right with that, I do get scared pretty easily-" I flinched as Zero wiggled his fingers and exclaimed Boo! In my defence, I hadn't been expecting it. Actually... I can't even defend myself... That was pretty pathetic. He really struggled to smother his giggles, though Ichii's firm tap on his head sobered him up somewhat. He teasingly stuck out his tongue to retaliate against my pout. He was actually getting pretty good at resisting my puppy-dog eyes, which was a little disappointing. "You're so mean, Zero. I actually really like the Kimodameshi. It's actually pretty fun- after it's finished... And I always set myself a goal; to get all the way through. This year, I'm definitely going to do it!"
"I'm sure you will, Hikari." Ichii said, raising his voice to be heard over the clamour. He jerked his thumb towards the door, where students were already beginning to file out of the room. I stretched out, arms raised high above my head, yawning so deeply that my eyes watered, before giving him a small nod and collected my belongings. It felt as if I were walking on air all the way home. Even the fact that I tripped on the stairs didn't dampen my mood. Nor Ichii's- who'd been the one to react quickly, pulling me back to safety before Zero had even registered that I was in danger. "Hikari, do me a favour and try not to kill yourself before then, alright?"
I was only too happy to agree.
In all honesty, I had warned the boys. But I obviously hadn't done a good enough job. Even I wasn't prepared for her reaction- and that was saying something, since she was my own mother. To explain, we- as in me, Zero and Ichii were all crowded around the coffee table, totally engrossed in a game of monopoly as we patiently waited for my mother to return home from work. Of course, being me, I was destitute within six rounds and was barely scraping my way across the board. Though, I hadn't expected Zero to be so enthusiastic over the game, or for Ichii to be so good at it despite this being his first time. Annoyingly, he seemed to have an abundant amount of luck on his side- managing to avoid both mine and Zero's properties and almost always collecting money wherever possible.
None of us were paying too much attention to anything but the game- especially since Zero was about to take a very risky roll. After all, discovering whether Zero would avoid Ichii's crippling Mayfair and Park Lane duo or would become even more bankrupt than me was pretty exciting. So, we could probably be excused for being unaware of our surroundings. That was, of course, until my mother squealed very loudly and swept into the room with the full force of a tornado.
She was smothering Zero in a massive, spinning hug before he could even blink. Also, she'd succeeded in completely decimating the game, knocking the whole board off the table and scattering the pieces across the floor- which Tabby promptly chased, forcing Ichii to restrain my excitably kitten and me to swipe up the potential dangerous objects before they could cause any harm. All the while, my mother was practically suffocating Zero, bouncing off questions at a hundred miles an hour, only pausing to breathe, which she did as little as was required. The poor boy looked so disorientated it was very difficult not to take pity on him.
Then she spotted Ichii and her eyes lit up like a child on Christmas. Zero was promptly dropped and she bounded over, thrusting her hand out so sharply she nearly hit him in the face, hardly giving Ichii any time to compose himself. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the boy give me an uncertain glance and nodded encouragingly. He took that as his cue to shake her hand and was apparently very surprised with the force she used. I almost face-palmed. My mother was ridiculous. She had the energy of a six-year-old on red bull and that only seemed to drastically increase depending on different circumstances. Meeting Zero again? Through the roof. Meeting Ichii for the first time? Out of this world.
"Zero, you look so much thinner. Ichii, you too. You're both like walking sticks. Come, I'll get you fed up right away." And then she was seizing them by their collars and dragging them to the kitchen so insistently, they didn't even have the power to protest. "Poor boys, it must be difficult living on your own. You're always welcome to stay for dinner, you know that, right? We have leftovers, too. You can take some home today- they just need a quick zap in the microwave before you eat them." She dumped the boys in a chair and thankfully they stayed there, staring at me with wide eyes. I knew that look. I got it all the time. How the hell are you two related? - That was the look.
I shrugged in reply, and took the spare chair next to Zero. "Mum, it's the Kimodameshi tonight. I think I told you a couple of weeks ago?" She hummed in response, bustling about pulling all sorts of things out of cabinets. "We have to wear our Kimono's again. Can you help me get ready? Once you're done, that is." She smiled and nodded, then set herself back to work, cheerfully singing as she did so. It was needless to say- she wasn't the best at it. Singing, that is- but none of us voiced that opinion. After all, it was very sweet how much she seemed to be enjoying herself. Tabby, sighing contently, curled up at my feet. I peered down at her, wondering whether she was sleeping. I loved her and all, but having a kitten sleep on you was one of the worst things possible. They were just so cute you didn't dare to move them, and then your entire leg slowly goes dead. And, yes, I was speaking from experience.
Time past quickly, and soon we were all tucking into a steaming plate of food. Zero, eyes widening took one bite and made a noise so loud it was difficult to miss. "This is amazing!" He said, around a mouthful. Instantly that set her, that being my mother, off on a excited spiel about recipes and testing new ingredients etc. and Zero struggled valiantly with the difficult task of looking like he was actually interested. Both myself and Ichii sacrificed him. Heads bowed, eyes locked even from across the table, we struggled with our very important task of not choking on our food as we attempted to smother our laughter. Zero's strained expression was absolutely priceless.
"Ano, Mum, do you want a drink?" I decided to wade in. I couldn't let Zero suffer too much now, could I? Upon hearing her reply, I brewed some coffee and poured it into three cups. I was the only one left cradling my hot chocolate. For a moment I felt like a kid sitting up at the big kid's table- I'd never liked coffee, it was far too bitter for my taste. Evidently, Zero had also realised that. I figured, since he was fairly immature, he'd wanted the same as Ichii and hadn't bothered to determine whether he actually liked it or not beforehand. I could see the regret so clearly on his face, I failed to stop myself from laughing. Thankfully, I managed not to die.
Zero and Ichii, the ever helpful gentleman promptly ignored my mother's protests and cleaned the dishes while my mother whisked me away to find my Kimono. When I checked on them, they were in the midst of a very heated battle, flicking soap suds at each other. The kitchen was quite a mess, but they were enjoying themselves so much- if their shiny eyes and flushed cheeks were anything to go by- that my scoldings quickly died on my lips. They were laughing loudly and smiling- a sweet, delighted, heartfelt expression that lit up their whole face. No, their whole body. I didn't dare disturb them. They deserved to really act silly every once in a while.
It didn't seem to take very long before I was ready, but even then, I hesitated. Biting my lip, I peered through the tiny sliver of space I had made. Zero and Ichii, after having thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, were almost exactly where I left them- lounging comfortably in the living room, looking very relaxed as they chatted idly, Ichii absently petting Tabby who was snuggled into his side. Okay, stop peeping. You've been waiting out here for five minutes now. Girl, you've faced much worse! I mean, they're not going to laugh- I'm just wearing a kimono, after all. Stop being so nervous and go into the damn room! Steadying myself, I fluttered into the room, anxiously tugging at a lock of my hair and focus intently at my feet. "A-ano, I'm done. H-how do I look?"
"Wow, you look very pretty, Hikari. That kimono really suits you." I blushed. I could literally feel the heat settling in my cheeks, which only made me feel more embarrassed as I attempted to thank him, stuttering so awkwardly I almost cringed. I do love this Kimono though. Deep red with pretty little Sakura blossoms and a black obi around my waist- it's so cute! I'm so glad I bought it. Zero motioned for me to twirl and I did so, having to grapple at a nearby chair when I tripped.
"Your hair looks different." Zero said, quietly, once I'd recovered. "It's nice, I guess." I beamed. My cheeks were so flushed, I probably looked sunburnt. Zero was already up and leaning against the doorway. "Are you coming?" I nodded. Pressure. Pressure on my head. Something... Something in my hair? I glanced over my shoulder. Ichii smiled, carefully sliding a miniaturised version of my lollipop just above the tie securing my hair into a ponytail.
"To keep you safe," He said.
"Thank you." I replied and joined Zero, barely being able to breathe as my mother crushed us all in a big hug. Telling us once more to be careful and not to wander off on our own and to have fun- the usual motherly advice. I nodded, smiled and kissed her goodbye. And then we were gone.
We drew lots to determine which pairs we were going in. Of course, the other examinees turned up- just to make everything even more chaotic. but, contrary to what I'd originally thought, they actually wanted to participate in the Kimodameshi. To be perfectly honest, a lot of the pairings were pretty crazy. Rokka and Forte? San and Zero? And the Gou and my best friend Kei? (The last actually surprising me the most- I hadn't figured Kei to be the one to fall for the cool, composed type. It was really weird seeing her act in a way completely different from her usual, rather reserved self).
Though, I was really pleased. I figured I got the best of the lot- being paired with Ichii and all. He was kind and gentle and so patient, he'd definitely help me to the best of his abilities and hopefully wouldn't dare laugh. I mean, I really was a big wimp. Just being out after dark gave me the creeps- which was why I stuck very close to Ichii. He was something safe and secure, something which anchored me down and quelled my fear quite significantly. His hand landed on my head, ruffling my hair a little, though he was careful enough to avoid dislodging the lollipop. "Looks like we're a pair, Hikari. Treat me well."
"Oh, yeah, I will. You too, Ichii. I... I didn't get very far last year. Please, be patient with me!" I was nervous now. It felt like my insides were writhing, twisting into tight, suffocating knots that were almost painful to endure. I struggled to ignore them. This happened every time- but so far, I'd managed to beat them. I had to get stronger. I had to face my fears and become braver. Nothing was going to stop me. I had set myself a goal and I would achieve it. "I guess it's-" I paused, gulping and feeling very annoyed with myself. Voice- stop refusing to function properly! "I guess it's our turn, now, right?" Ichii nodded in reply and easily led the way to the building with his long, loopy strides.
He pulled back the trailing curtain and observed the hallway. "It's pretty dark in here." And with that, he swiftly ducked inside. I skittered after him, already feeling bad. It's cool. You're cool. You're with Ichii. And it's not like it's real, anyway. Not real at all. So you're all good, Hikari. Ichii was studying some hand prints on the wall. Red, bloody hand prints. I failed to smother the small whimper that rose in my throat- despite the fact that it was clearly paint, it still frightened me. We were off again, cautiously weaving our way between shrines and fake severed body parts I didn't dare look too closely at. The music was eerie, it sounded like a dripping tap. Or blood. I thought, glancing around with wide eyes. It could be the sound of dripping blood.
Some blurry shape fell down in front of us. I screamed and stumbled backwards, promptly falling over. Ichii, damn him, didn't look startled in the least. He poked and prodded at the sack, his smile obvious even in this poor lighting. "Does this really scare you, Hikari?" He asked, manoeuvring it around so he could see the back. I screamed again, after catching sight on the hideous face and fumbled to cover my eyes. Ichii chuckled quietly. "Ah- sorry, sorry. Hold on, let me help-" Once again, I screamed. What I'd previously thought was my own clumsiness that resulted in my little tumble, actually turned out to be a skeleton sprawled out across the path. I struggled to push myself away. Gosh, Kimono's are so impractical. I wish I'd warn casual clothes, like Ichii and Zero.
A hand, warm and gentle settled on my shoulder. My gaze shot up. I could feel tears welling in my eyes and was furious about it. I was being so childish- yet I couldn't help being scared. It was purely instinctive. Before I knew it, Ichii had carefully lifted me back up. His smile seemed so reassuring, it instantly banished my tears. "Hey, Hikari-" He said, every word soft and light and there was so much sweetness in his voice, it seemed to extract my negative feelings one by one. "I'm actually really scared. Would you hold my hand? It'll make me feel a lot better." Somehow, I didn't believe him. But I did it anyway. I took Ichii's big hand in both of mine and squeezed tightly and, damn, I really didn't want to let go.
I was glad. That he said that, I was really glad. It distracted me pretty well, actually. Over and over again I repeated his words, so even when a bony face swung before us, I didn't scream. True, I did flinch and fall against Ichii, but I didn't scream. And I didn't run- which is what I'd been feeling like doing just moments ago. "A-Are you feeling better, Ichii?" I asked, when what I truly meant was; I'm feeling better, Ichii.
"Yeah, I am. All because of you, I don't think I feel so scared now. Thanks, Hikari."
I smiled. That moment couldn't last, and all too soon, it was broken by a piercing cry of Boo! I screamed. All the progress I'd made, and after how much better I was feeling, I screamed. But when two ghosts jump out unexpectedly, I'm sure I could be forgiven for my reaction. I could only curse, though, as I stumbled. And tripped. Ichii caught me. Ichii could always react fast enough to snatch me out of the air- like some heroic fairy-tail prince. Only this time he slipped too. And we were falling. My stomach jerked and, oh, god, it felt awful, trapped in mid-air feeling completely weightless. And he was so close. No. Oh, no. Ichii- he's too close. When we hit the ground he's going to- going to-
Kiss me.
For a panicked moment I wasn't really sure whether I wanted him to kiss me, whether ought to try and do something to stop him, maybe try to turn and fail spectacularly while doing so? But then Rokka appeared out of thin air, her Ichii-senses blaring and knocked us off course. He did land practically over me, though, which I was a little embarrassed about. And in the commotion Forte appeared and San jumped on his back, and Zero promptly followed suit. He seemed pretty enthusiastic about showing me the ghost costume he'd made. "Isn't it cool?" Zero said, dumping it over my head. I battled with the sheet a little and managed to find the hem in order to peer out from underneath. He grinned. Zero looked so young, when he did that. I had a feeling that it wasn't something many people were in to- looking that endearingly goofy.
I couldn't help but be glad that we were all together again. Though I had a distinct feeling that things were going to go downhill from here.
A/N:And that concludes my 13th chapter. I really hope you guys enjoy reading this. I actually mix-and-matched with the Anime and Manga on this one. I just felt it was unnecessary for Nina to get so hung up over Sarasa calling- and that whole episode just got on my nerves. I mean, I liked the plot and all but they really needed to tone it down a little. Anyway, feedback would be great- I'm not really sure whether making Hikari this frightened was a good idea.
LoveInuyasha22: That was one of my favourite bits, which is why I decided to play on it and continuously have Hikari lamenting about her intense desire to hit Will with a chair. Thank you for your continued support- It's much appreciated!
Moka: Nice! I'm going to have a lot of fun playing around with that. I'd also love to hear what you think of this chapter.
AJPJweallluvJJ: Ah, yeah. I totally get what you mean. Hikari is really shy and so it wouldn't make sense for her to suddenly leap in levels of sass until she gets positively apoplectic. I hope you liked it, though? I did enjoy writing her in a way other than her usual shy, don't-look-at-me attitude.